Monday, 22nd February 2010
Kazakhstan: putting the sparkle back in to the OSCE
The OSCE has emerged in the new world order as the world's largest security organisation, positioned uniquely in the contemporary global security environment. The Organisation's broad definition of security, encompassing political, environmental and human dimensions, as developed since the Helsinki Final Act, have allowed it to contain conflicts and assist the democratisation and state-building process of the emerging sovereign states over the past two decades.
Nevertheless, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, the country currently holding the rotating Chairmanship of the OSCE, is correct when he says that the OSCE has lost some of its sparkle in recent years. President Nazarbayev regards Kazakhstan’s year in office as an opportunity to restore that sparkle and re-kindle the dynamism of which the OSCE is capable.
Unquestionably, President Nazarbayev is the person ideally suited to this task. He is a builder. In under two decades he has built Kazakhstan into the most dynamic and buoyant nation in Central Asia. He has built a new, exciting capital city in Astana. And he has built an international reputation for his country as a multi-national and multi-religious state committed to inter-cultural and inter-ethnic harmony. There is no doubt that this is why the international community welcomed the election of Kazakhstan to the Chairmanship of the OSCE.
In this light, I fully agree that the Chairmanship of the OSCE by Kazakhstan offers an exceptional opportunity to tackle the global problems of economic recession, the fight against extremism and terrorism, the on-going conflict in Afghanistan and the issues of freedom, democracy and human rights. As the first Central Asian state to hold the OSCE Chairmanship, Kazakhstan is strategically placed and opens the window to engagement in new developments in Central Asia. In particular, Kazakhstan’s decision, despite the global economic meltdown, to allocate $50 million to educating Afghan students in leading Kazakh colleges and universities, is a classic example of President Nazarbayev’s core belief that the pen is mightier than the sword and that military intervention alone cannot resolve the long term conflict in Afghanistan.
Falling into the OSCE’s "second" basket of economic and environmental development, the environment and ecology is a field where the impact of mismanaged natural resources may quickly spill over and exacerbate inter and even intra-state tensions. Nowhere is this more evident than Central Asia. From land degradation to water management infrastructure, the ecological problems involving Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan are manifold.
We have seen the dramatic degradation of the Aral and Caspian Seas. But water use, trans-border supply issues and their impact on agriculture, industry and human consumption, are key issues which I will study in my role as Personal Representative on Ecology and the Environment to the Chairman in Office of the OSCE. I will also look at soil contamination and waste from uranium mining and the catastrophic legacy of the Soviet nuclear tests in the Polygon around Semipalatinsk in East Kazakhstan.
The impact of such degradation cannot be overstated, as it upsets ecological systems and has substantial impacts on the health, welfare, stability and security of affected states. Ecological disasters resulting from natural causes, economic activities or terrorist acts may also pose a serious threat to stability and security.
The OSCE has an obligation to address any factors that cause tension and work towards alleviating the effects of environmental degradation. The concerns of OSCE participating states over the environment have increased in recent years, taking into account the growing impact of environmental factors on prosperity, stability and security of states and the health of their populations.
The broad definition of security by the OSCE is thus particularly relevant for Central Asia. The five states in Central Asia have gone through a difficult period on the road towards independence and democracy. They exist in a zone of geopolitical vulnerability and instability. By balancing the various dimensions of security, the OSCE can have positive effects on the socio-economic stability and wellbeing of the region and can extend this valuable skill and understanding to the benefit of the wider OSCE membership.
It is ten years since the last OSCE summit and the time is now ripe for another major summit meeting, bringing together the 56 member states of the OSCE to discuss these global issues in Astana. President Nazarbayev has seized the torch of OSCE leadership with enthusiasm. Now is our chance to build on those solid foundations.
