On January 9, 2020, Albania’s OSCE Chairmanship decided to appoint the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the OSCE, Ambassador Sherzod Asadov, as the head of the Economic and Environmental Committee of the OSCE Permanent Council this year.

The decision was taken within the framework of a special meeting of the Organization’s Permanent Council, during which the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Albania’s Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Edi Rama, presented the priorities for the chairmanship in 2020.

The event was attended by Secretary General Thomas Greminger, heads of all OSCE bodies and institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly, Permanent Missions of 57 participating states, 11 dialogue partners and 16 organization’s field operations.

As Edi Rama noted, the Albanian Chairmanship will seek a frank and constructive dialogue with all participating states to address the problems and challenges facing the OSCE in accordance with its fundamental principles.

The priorities for OSCE’s activities in economics and ecology this year are: the fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance, the promotion of innovation and the digital economy, the development of human capital, the development of smart cities, the protection of the environment and the efficient management of the environment, the protection of critical energy infrastructure, hazardous waste management, integrated water resources management, as well as promoting equal opportunities for women in the economy.

The Economic and Environmental Committee oversees a wide range of issues of cooperation and security in the economic and environmental fields in the OSCE area, including anti-corruption issues, energy and food security, transport and logistics, migration, the development of information and communication and green technologies.

It should be noted that the chairmanship in the committees of the OSCE Permanent Council is not rotational, but is carried out on the basis of the appointment by the current chairmanship of the organization, based on a number of important political factors, including the full implementation of the country’s commitments within the framework of this international structure.

As noted, the chairmanship of Uzbekistan in the Economic and Environmental Committee of the OSCE Permanent Council is evidence of recognition by the international community of the wide range of socio-economic reforms and measures taken to improve the environmental situation in the Aral Sea region under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, strengthen trade, economic and investment cooperation, and develop transport interconnectedness and expanding the transit potential of the region.

The chairmanship in the Economic and Environmental Committee in 2020 will allow to actively promote regional and international initiatives of Uzbekistan that are consistent with the goals and principles of the OSCE and will contribute to deepening cooperation with the organization in terms of supporting the reform agenda in the country.

The Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the OSCE, Ambassador Neil Bush, has been appointed Chairperson of the Security Committee, and Ambassador Ivo Šrámek of the Czech Republic, Permanent Representative of the Organization, has been appointed head of the Human Rights Committee.