Chair Costel Neculai Dunava holds up a voting card in the Committee on Political Affairs and Security, 1 July 2025PORTO, 1 July 2025 – Meeting in Porto, Portugal, at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 32nd Annual Session, the three general committees have amended and adopted the resolutions prepared by the committee rapporteurs. The resolutions will now be sent to the plenary for inclusion in the OSCE PA’s Porto Declaration, to be adopted by the full Assembly on Thursday.
The resolutions contain recommendations in the fields of political affairs and security, economics, environmental concerns, human rights, democracy, and humanitarian questions. Following the adoption of the Porto Declaration, which will also include some 20 supplementary items covering a variety of topics, the Assembly’s recommendations will be presented to national governments, parliaments and the international community.
Opening the meeting of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security on Monday, Chair Costel Neculai Dunava (Romania) noted that the committee’s work has never been more vital, with the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine remaining at the forefront of its focus. Rapporteur Tobias Winkler (Germany) presented his report and draft resolution, reiterating the PA’s condemnation of the war and calling for sustained support for Ukraine. Other topics covered in the report include the progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiations and the volatile situation in the Middle East.
“We gather here in Porto at a time when the political and security dynamics within the OSCE region are in flux, with new and often consequential developments occurring almost daily,” Winkler said. “This moment calls for our close attention, our collective wisdom, and above all, our renewed commitment to dialogue, co-operation, and the fundamental principles that underpin our shared security architecture.”
In the debate, delegates welcomed the recent border agreement between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and raised issues including accountability for war crimes, arms control, and the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The committee agreed to 26 amendments before adopting the resolution by a vote today of 52-1, with three abstentions.
Azay Guliyev chairs the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, Porto, 30 June 2025In the Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment, Chair Azay Guliyev (Azerbaijan) highlighted the committee’s focus on economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and technological transformation amid complex global challenges. Guliyev noted rising instability in the Middle East, warning of wider implications for global energy and trade, and highlighted the economic and environmental impacts of the war in Ukraine.
“Only together – and not divided by war and destruction – can we achieve the steps needed for stability and security in Ukraine and the whole OSCE area,” Guliyev said. “To secure a sustainable future, we must therefore enhance our foresight in anticipating the multifaceted challenges of a rapidly changing world.”
Rapporteur Paula Cardoso (Portugal) focused on climate security, water scarcity, and climate-induced migration, emphasizing the importance of international financing and co-operation following COP29 outcomes. She highlighted threats of climate change and underlined the need to accelerate the clean energy transition, tackle energy poverty, and promote good governance.
Following a lively debate that touched on an array of topics including climate change, brain circulation and unfair barriers to trade, the committee adopted 12 amendments before agreeing to the resolution by a vote today of 42-2.
The General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions meets in Porto, 30 June 2025Opening the meeting of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, Chair Lucie Potuckova (Czechia) noted that the committee’s mandate has only grown more urgent in recent years. As war continues to rage in Europe, she said, the human rights situation across the OSCE region also continues to deteriorate. Accountability mechanisms must be upheld, she stressed.
Committee Rapporteur Carina Ödebrink (Sweden) opened her remarks by welcoming the good news about the recent release of Belarusian political prisoners, noting that it sends a strong message on importance of international solidarity. Speaking about the war in Ukraine, she regretted the massive humanitarian toll, with displacement, civilian deaths, and children suffering. She also spoke about the Gaza crisis, calling for the protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law.
In the debate, members raised issues including political prisoners, rule of law, democratic backsliding, and gender-based violence. The committee agreed to the resolution with 18 amendments, by a vote today of 56-1.
Today and tomorrow, the committees take up work on supplementary items covering issues including reproductive health, child trafficking and sexual exploitation, climate change, and OSCE institutional co-operation. Among the items already adopted in plenary session include “The Helsinki Process Fifty Years On,” principally sponsored by Pia Kauma (Finland), and “Strengthening a Positive Agenda for Co-operation in the Western Balkans,” principally sponsored by Kyriakos Hadjiyianni (Cyprus).
Another item, “50th Anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act: Global Challenges for Peace and Security in the OSCE Region,” principally sponsored by Mykyta Poturaiev (Ukraine), addresses the implications of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, expressing its unwavering solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and urging a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. It welcomes the valuable contributions of the OSCE PA’s Parliamentary Support Team on Ukraine, and calls on it to develop and promote policy recommendations and actionable initiatives that reinforce Ukraine’s long-term resilience.
Head of Portuguese Del. Paula Cardoso, OSCE PA President Pia Kauma, President of Portuguese Parliament José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, OSCEPA SG Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the Portuguese Parliament Anabela Leitão Cabral Ferreira, Porto, 29 June 2025On the sidelines of the Annual Session, a number of side events have taken place, including several today dealing with demographic decline and the future of free societies, human trafficking, youth in armed conflicts, and a commemoration of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act. On Monday, parliamentarians participated in events devoted to gender issues, countering propaganda, migration, counter-terrorism, youth issues, and Ukraine.
President Pia Kauma has held a series of bilateral meetings in Porto, including with President of the Portuguese Parliament José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, OSCE Special Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Kari Johnstone, and various OSCE PA delegations.
The Annual Session is streaming on the OSCE PA’s YouTube and Facebook channels, and photos of the meeting can be found on Flickr. Please visit the Annual Session’s web page for more information.
