News and press releases

From 22 to 24 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in co-operation with the Centre for Arms Control and Inspection Support and the Kazakhstan Peace Operations Centre (KAZCENT) of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and with the support of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, organized a three-day international seminar in Almaty to enhance understanding and implementation of the Vienna Document 2011 on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures.

On 30 April, over 50 representatives from Central Asia, South-East Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa gathered in Astana to share good practices and exchange experience related to prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration (PRR) of returnees from conflict zones. The meeting was co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Programme Office in Astana, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).

On 8–9 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in collaboration with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, organized a training workshop “Removing Administrative Barriers Contributing to Corruption” for law enforcement agencies. The training event focused on removing administrative barriers that contribute to corruption and enhancing institutional transparency.

On 13-14 March 2025, the workshop "SGBV Survivor-Centered Procedures and Communications in Courts" took place in Astana. Organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, the event brought together judges, legal practitioners, psychologists, and international experts to discuss good practices in handling sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases in courts.

On 28 February 2025, the International Round Table “Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan: Achievements and Initiatives” took place in Astana. The event was organized under the extrabudgetary project “Improving the Effectiveness of the Justice System in Kazakhstan”, funded by Poland, Norway, and the U.S., in close co-operation with Kazakhstan’s judicial system and co-organized by the Supreme Court and Court Administration of Kazakhstan. The round table gathered over 100 participants, including high-level representatives from the judiciary, government bodies, international organizations, and academia, to discuss key developments and future initiatives in the justice sector.

The Concept Paper outlines a phased plan for establishing a UAV Training Center in Lenger, Kazakhstan (Lenger UAV Center of Excellence). The development of this center is a key initiative to modernize border control operations and improve the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s Border Service. The project builds on previous technical assessments and capacity-building activities supported by the OSCE.

On 9 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana (the Office) hosted an event to mark the culmination of the first stage of a two-year project aimed at supporting the Tobol-Torgay River Basin Council. The project aims to strengthen the Council's capacity in developing a strategic basin plan for integrated water resource management.