OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities urges co-operation on national minority issues in south-eastern Europe

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov addresses the Regional Conference on Co-operation on matters related to National Minorities in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 5 March 2024. (OSCE) Photo details

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov visited Bosnia and Herzegovina from 4 to 6 March 2024 to attend the Regional Conference on Co-operation on matters related to National Minorities in Sarajevo.

The Conference gathered representatives of national minorities and government authorities responsible for national minority issues from south-eastern Europe. It was an opportunity to discuss good governance and exchange experiences, ideas, challenges and good practices related to the integration of diverse societies.

The event was organized by Bosnia and Herzegovina's Human Rights and Refugees Ministry, with the co-operation of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and with the support of other OSCE field operations in the region.

The High Commissioner called on authorities and representatives to seize the opportunities presented by this event. "Let us embrace future opportunities to forge a new era of regional co-operation and understanding on national minority issues in south-eastern Europe. This is possible because co-operation is our language," Abdrakhmanov said. The High Commissioner is hopeful that such meetings will become a regular occurrence.

While in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the High Commissioner took the opportunity to meet with government authorities, including Human Rights and Refugees Minister Sevlid Hurtić, as well as national minority representatives and civil society organizations in Mostar.

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities