Special Representatives
The Special Representative on Migration
President Joao Soares appointed Kathleen Ferrier, a member of the Dutch delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as the Assembly’s Special Representative on Migration in October 2009.
“Migration is one of the big challenges of the 21st century. It surely is a challenge for the OSCE countries," she said upon being appointed. "It has many aspects, humanitarian and judicial, it has both positive effects and aspects that are harmful to people and societies. It is necessary, even urgent, to approach migration in a coherent way and to work on concrete steps. I look forward to working with all the members so that, together, we can fight the harmful aspects and stress the positive ones of this phenomenon for our people and our societies.”
The Special Representative on Nagorno Karabakh
Goran Lennmarker (Sweden) was appointed Special Representative on Nagorno Karabakh in July 2002.
His mandate includes promoting dialogue in all segments of society, in particular at the parliamentary level, in order to encourage reconciliation and rehabilitation. As Special Representative, Mr. Lennmarker regularly reports to the President on the situation in the region.
The Special Representative for Afghanistan
The Special Representative for Afghanistan, Michel Voisin (France), was appointed by the President of the OSCE PA in September 2008.
Mr. Voisin, who serves as Head of the French Delegation to the OSCE PA, works to focus Assembly activities in regard to OSCE partner State Afghanistan.
The Special Representative for the Fight against Transnational Organized Crime
The Special Representative for the Fight against Transnational Organized Crime, Senator Carlo Vizzini (Italy), was appointed by the PA President in September 2007 to focus Assembly activities within this field.
Senator Vizzini works to gather information on transnational organized crime in the OSCE area and reports to the Assembly on the main international programmes for the fight against transnational organized crime.
The Special Representative for Central Asia
Considering the need for active participation by national parliaments from Central Asia in the work of the OSCE PA, the President of the PA appointed Kimmo Kiljunen (Finland) as his Special Representative for Central Asia in May 2007.
Dr. Kiljunen was elected Vice-President of the OSCE PA during the Annual Session in Kyiv in 2007. Special Representative Kiljunen works to encourage active participation by parliamentarians from Central Asia in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and promotes meetings and exchanges with national parliaments of the Asian Partner's for Co-operation, including Afghanistan, and supports their participation in Assembly events as observers.
The Special Representative on the OSCE Budget
The Special Representative on the OSCE budget, Mr. Petur Blondal (Iceland), was appointed by the President of the PA in September 2006 to review ongoing work on draft OSCE budgets, and to report to the Assembly President and Treasurer.
Mr. Blondal gathers information and follows budgetary developments in the OSCE governmental structures and acts as a focal point for Assembly recommendations on political and management questions related to the OSCE budget.
The Special Representative on South East Europe
The President of the OSCE appointed Roberto Battelli (Slovenia) as his Special Representative on South East Europe to facilitate parliamentary dialogue in the region.
Mr. Battelli promotes dialogue in all segments of society, in particular at the parliamentary level, in order to encourage reconciliation and rehabilitation in South East Europe, and in particular in the Western Balkans. He reports back to the President on the situation in the region and communicates with relevant actors within the OSCE who work on issues related to the region.
The Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs
Considering the need to develop stronger links between the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, the President of the OSCE PA appointed a Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs, Mr. Alcee L. Hastings, to report to him on developments in this field.
Mr. Hastings works to maintain contacts with Mediterranean Partners and participate in events related to supporting relations between the Mediterranean area and the OSCE.
The Special Representative on Gender Issues
The Special Representative on Gender Issues, Ms. Tone Tingsgaard, who is also a Vice-President of the OSCE PA, was appointed by the PA President to strengthen the Assembly's efforts to promote gender equality within the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly.
Special Representative Tingsgaard follows the gender situation within the OSCE, including in the Institutions and Field Missions and reports back to the President, and promotes discussion of gender issues within the OSCE and in particular the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
The Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues
In order to facilitate the presence and involvement of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in the international debate on trafficking issues, President Bruce George appointed United States Congressman Christopher Smith as his Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues in February 2004. He was reappointed by President Goran Lennmarker in November 2007 and by President Joao Soares in the summer of 2009.
In the initial appointment Mr. Lennmarker stressed the importance of closely following the discussions and proposlas in the international arena on the issue of trafficking.