Participation of the PABSEC International Secretariat in the Parliamentary Conference of the OSCE PA, 4 November 2021
Mr. Daniel Dulca, PABSEC Deputy Secretary General, attended the Online Conference entitled “Current Security Challenges: Focus on Afghanistan”, which was organized under the auspices of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 19th Autumn Meeting, on 4 November 2021.
The event took place in an online format, with the participation of more than 30 parliamentarians from the OSCE area and also representatives of the Parliamentary Assemblies, who offered their perspectives on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan and its implications for the OSCE region, following the Talibans’ takeover in August 2021.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden), President of the OSCE PA. In her intervention, she noted that what happens in Afghanistan has major implications for the neighbouring countries and for the international security, in general.
She also underlined that given the Talibans’ history, there are serious concerns that Afghanistan will once again become a safe haven for terrorist groups, also having detrimental consequences for women and girls whose hard-won rights will be revoked. It is essential that human security be protected by safeguarding the fundamental rights of all the Afghans, noting that these are all issues in which the OSCE has a solid acquis.
The event included also interventions of: Mr. Richard Hudson (United States), Chair of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Political Affairs and Security; Mr. Pere Joan Pons (Spain), Chair of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment; Ms. Sereine Mauborgne (France), Chair of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions and Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC).
During the debate, the parliamentarians raised concerns about the human rights situation, in particular the threat posed to female parliamentarians, and more generally, to women, girls and LGBT+ communities, also noting the dangers posed by radicalization. It was pointed out that the speed with which the Afghan government collapsed, was astonishing and one of the main factors identified with regard to this rapid collapse was corruption, which should therefore be understood as a security issue. It was also underlined that in such a situation, it is necessary to redouble the efforts for developing the rule of law throughout the OSCE area.