The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly met on 5-9 July 2017 in Minsk for its 26th Annual Session. With some 260 parliamentarians from North America, Europe and Asia participating, the theme of the Session was “Enhancing mutual trust and co-operation for peace and prosperity in the OSCE region.” 

The Minsk Declaration is available in English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Photos are on the OSCE PA's Flickr page and many more are on the Belarusian Parliament's Flickr page. Video playlist available here.

For the final report on the 2017 Minsk Annual Session, please click here.

The Session ended on 9 July with the adoption of the Minsk Declaration, which contains recommendations to help shape OSCE and national policy. The Annual Session also included elections of several OSCE Parliamentary Assembly officers, including President, Vice-Presidents and Treasurer.

Austrian parliamentarian Christine Muttonen was elected to a second term as President of the Assembly. Member of the German Bundestag Doris Barnett was re-elected Treasurer by acclamation. The Assembly elected Italian parliamentarian Marietta Tidei, United States Senator Roger Wicker, Swedish parliamentarian Margareta Cederfelt, and re-elected Romanian parliamentarian Victor Dobre as vice-presidents.

Committee leaders for the coming year are as follows:

Committee on Political Affairs and Security

• Filippo Lombardi (MP, Switzerland), Chair
• Guglielmo Picchi (MP, Italy), Vice-Chair
• Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), Rapporteur

Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment

• Nilza Sena (MP, Portugal), Chair
• Artur Gerasymov (MP, Ukraine), Vice-Chair
• Sofio Katsarava (MP, Georgia), Rapporteur

Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions

• Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), Chair
• Ivana Dobesova (MP, Czech Republic), Vice Chair
• Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus), Rapporteur

Related articles:

• OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Christine Muttonen re-elected, four Vice-Presidents and Treasurer elected in Minsk (9 July 2017)
• OSCE parliamentarians adopt Minsk Declaration with comprehensive recommendations for peace and prosperity (9 July 2017)
• In Minsk, OSCE parliamentarians debate ways to increase effectiveness in addressing urgent challenges to security and stability (6 July 2017)
• Annual Session opens in Minsk with calls for greater OSCE ambition, counter-terrorism body agreed to by parliamentarians (5 July 2017)
• OSCE parliamentarians meet this week in Minsk to produce recommendations on security, economics, environment and human rights (3 July 2017)
• Op-ed by Kyriakos Kyriakou-Hadjiyianni (MP, Cyprus), Rapporteur of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions (26 June 2017)
• Op-ed by Marietta Tidei (MP, Italy), Rapporteur of the OSCE PA's Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment (15 June 2017)
• Op-ed by Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden), Rapporteur of the OSCE PA's Committee on Political Affairs and Security (12 June 2017)
• MEDIA ADVISORY/Информация для СМИ: Press registration open for OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Annual Session in Minsk (24 May 2017)