This ends a five-year stalemate since the last adopted budget in 2021.
The adoption of the budget followed extensive consultations among participating States and reflects their commitment to the Organization.
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ignazio Cassis stressed: “Achieving unanimity on this budget demonstrates a shared willingness to find compromise and to look to the future with confidence. It confirms that, even in times of heightened tensions, the OSCE remains a platform where dialogue brings results – and where collective decisions strengthen our capacity to act. This also advances a central priority of the Swiss Chairmanship.”
The budget will preserve the operational efficiency of the Organization, while recognizing the need for reforms to ensure sustainable financing and long-term impact. The reduction in the overall financial budget will inevitably affect the number of staff in all executive structures. Of the approximately 2,000 staff, more than 100 will have to leave the Organization.
“Today’s decision sends an important signal. It ensures that the Organization will continue to meet expectations, but it also requires difficult adjustments. I am deeply grateful to the colleagues affected by these changes for their dedication and service to the OSCE, often in challenging circumstances. We will support them through this transition with the care and dignity they deserve,” said OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu.
The OSCE will continue to serve as a key platform for dialogue, supporting conflict resolution and prevention, field operations and democratic processes across its region, with efficiency and effectiveness at the core of its work. This reform budget enables the OSCE to fulfill that mandate.
