HCNM reflects upon three decades of quiet diplomacy and conflict prevention

On 12 May 2023, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov co-organized an expert meeting in Flensburg, Germany, entitled “Three Decades of HCNM’s Experience in Quiet Diplomacy and Conflict Prevention: Lessons Learned and New Challenges”. This is the first of a series of events to mark 30 years since his office was first opened in The Hague.

During the meeting, High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov emphasized the importance of reflection in order to successfully confront the challenges of a changing security landscape. He drew inspiration from the situation in 1992 when his mandate was first created, noting that, as “participating States observed when they first created the position of High Commissioner on National Minorities, this is not only a time of instability and insecurity, it is also a time of promise.”

The expert meeting was organized jointly by the office of the HCNM and the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) and was hosted by the Danish Central Library of Flensburg. At the event, a group of fifteen experts critically reflected upon the quiet diplomacy approach employed by successive High Commissioners and the way in which all six High Commissioners have implemented their conflict prevention mandate to date since its adoption in 1992. The experts also focused on the role of the HCNM as a changemaker on the ground and the contribution of the HCNM Thematic Recommendations and Guidelines to the European minority rights regime. The outcome of the expert meeting will be reflected in a publication by ECMI, expected to be published later this year.

The High Commissioner will continue to mark the 30th anniversary of his office with several events aimed at consolidating lessons learned throughout the past three decades as a resource for his ongoing efforts, within his mandate.

In the margins of the visit, High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov met with representatives of minority communities, the Federal Union of European Nationalities, and authorities from both Germany and Denmark, including Stadtpräsident of Flensburg Hannes Fuhrig, Mayor of Flensburg Fabian Geyer, and Consul General of Denmark in Flensburg Kim Anderson. Pursuant to his mandate, the High Commissioner learned about good practices and contemporary challenges in the protection of national minorities in the German-Danish border region.