Georgia – OSCE

The OSCE Mission to Georgia was established in December 1992 in response to armed conflicts in the country. The Mission assists the Government of Georgia in the fields of conflict settlement, democratization, human rights and the rule of law.

The tasks of the OSCE Mission to Georgia have been gradually widened since its opening in late 1992.

The Mission promotes negotiations between the conflicting parties in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict (1992), and supports the UN-led peace process in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict (1993).

The Mission monitors the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The Mission is engaged in promoting inter-agency co-ordination and international co-operation on border issues and assists the Georgian Government in fulfilling its OSCE commitments on human rights, rule of law and democratization. The Mission monitors and supports the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and promotes the building of civil society and democratic institutions.

The Mission regularly monitors, analyses and reports on developments in the economic, energy and environmental sectors and co-operates closely with a range of international organizations and institutions on a number of issues relevant to the Mission mandate.

The Head of Mission is Ambassador Terhi Hakala of Finland, who took up her duties in October 2007.

Starting in August, 2008, Sweden participates to the OSCE Mission to Georgia with one military monitor.