Secure energy transport in the pipeline at Model OSCE in Azerbaijan
Secure energy transportation was the hotly-discussed topic of Azerbaijan's first-ever Model OSCE conference, jointly organized by the OSCE Office in Baku and Khazar University and held at the latter on 9 May.
More than 60 students from 12 universities across Azerbaijan participated in the event, which simulated an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting discussing energy security matters in the OSCE area.
Energy security is a critical issue for Azerbaijan, which is a major exporter of fossil fuels. Gains in the energy sector have raised the average income by a factor of four over the past five years, and reduced the poverty rate from almost 50 per cent to 11 per cent in the last decade.
In his opening speech, the Head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Ambassador Bilge Cankorel, emphasized the role of organizations like the OSCE in ensuring security in all its aspects - whether it be energy security or other areas such as conflict prevention.
Co-operation mechanisms
"I cannot say we have achieved everything, but I am still confident that the world would be a much less secure, peaceful and prosperous planet without the co-operation mechanisms created by the OSCE and other international organizations," he said.
The students playing the ministers of the OSCE participating States also underlined the importance of the lasting peace in the region and the necessity to unite efforts in this regard.
"It was not just a game for me," said Bayimkhanim Malikova, who played the Foreign Minister of Germany. "The Model OSCE helped me gain experience and improve my negotiation skills. It was a great opportunity to understand the ongoing processes and to see the role of international organizations in the settlement of problems."
Energy in the headlines
With the real-life massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico dominating the international news headlines, the choice of energy security as the main theme of the Ministerial Council simulation was highly topical.
While the students playing foreign ministers were outlining their countries' perspectives on energy security, others acting as OSCE ambassadors started discussions in the preparatory committee on a draft ministerial decision on urgent measures for secure energy transportation.
Noting the seriousness of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the ambassadors urged the OSCE member states to take urgent steps to ensure the security of all means of energy transportation. They proposed the establishment of "a special assessment team to evaluate potential risk areas in the OSCE region" and urged participating States "to convene an ad hoc meeting of the relevant agencies to discuss necessary measures to prevent further oil spill incidents".
The supervisor of the Model OSCE project, Professor Baba Bayramli of Khazar University, was happy with how things went: "I did not expect that the students would demonstrate such a serious approach to this issue. I was so glad to see their dedication and enthusiasm during the discussions. It convinced me that today's event would have a significant contribution to their future lives."
And the students themselves had reason to be pleased when they succeeded in reaching a final consensus and adopting a ministerial decision.
Positive impressions
Describing her impressions about the Model OSCE, Ayla Guliyeva of Baku State University, who played the Foreign Minister of Russia, noted that she had gained "useful knowledge, networking, vivid impressions, new friends and good memories."
"Today I've seen 60 different enthusiasts: some of them experienced, some not; some confident, some hesitating. But put them together and you have a big smart team with the capability of developing into a better one," she concluded.