Report of the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and Director of the Bishkek Academy: UK Statement, October 2025
Connor Creeley, UK Delegation to the OSCE, welcomes the work of the Programme Office and Academy in Bishkek, reaffirming UK support for their activities.
Thank you, Mr Chair, and welcome Ambassador Frobarth and Dr Dunay. In the spirit of utilising your time to engage in dialogue, allow me to keep this statement brief and ask a question.
We commend the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek for its vital role in promoting security, stability, and sustainable development across all three dimensions. We welcome efforts to strengthen border security, enhance cyber resilience through the national cybersecurity law, and support counter-terrorism and non-proliferation. Through our Integrated Security Fund, the UK is supporting the Office’s project to build Kyrgyz border troop capacity and foster cross-border cooperation with Tajikistan to address explosive threats.
The Office’s work on democratic governance and gender equality remains essential. We welcome initiatives such as the National Action Plan on Youth, Peace, and Security, parliamentary staff training, and campaigns against gender-based violence, which reflect a strong commitment to inclusivity and human rights.
We also value the Office’s economic and environmental programmes, including support for entrepreneurship, green economy policies, and disaster risk reduction — critical for Kyrgyzstan and the wider region. The recent launch of UK-based Concrete Canvas’s factory highlights our shared climate goals and innovative approaches to water conservation.
We appreciate the OSCE Academy’s continued delivery of high-quality education and research, fostering regional expertise and cooperation.
These achievements underscore the Programme Office’s indispensable role in supporting Kyrgyzstan’s reform agenda and regional security. We reaffirm our strong support.
In closing, and following this year’s successful Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, could you elaborate on how the Programme Office and Academy engage with civil society actors in Kyrgyzstan?
Thank you, Chair.