Thank you, Secretary General, for your presentation of the 2026 Unified Budget Proposal, and for reminding us of the significant financial challenges facing this organisation.
The United Kingdom recognises and is grateful for the considerable work that has gone into this proposal. We will continue to study the detail carefully, and will respond with more specific questions and points during the upcoming fund manager presentations to the ACMF.
The UK appreciates that agreeing a Unified Budget for 2026 will be a difficult task. We deeply regret that participating States have been unable to reach consensus on a Unified Budget since 2021, and we recognise that the extended period without a budget or a revised Post Table has impacted the organisation’s ability to respond flexibly to emerging requirements. We commend the efforts of all OSCE staff and structures in delivering against their mandates under the most difficult of circumstances. It is vital that we – as participating States – engage constructively to find solutions which ensure the OSCE is adequately resourced and able to function effectively.
The UK stands ready to engage constructively in discussions around the 2026 budget, including on future Chair’s Proposals which prioritise putting the OSCE on a more sustainable financial footing while also taking account of global financial realities. We believe it is important that the organisation’s core activities continue to be funded through the Unified Budget to ensure sustainability and predictability.
Mr Chair, the UK remains committed to supporting a positive outcome on OSCE finances. I encourage all colleagues to focus on the bigger picture at this difficult time for the organisation. I wish Switzerland well in developing the first Chair’s proposal, and thank Finland for their continued efforts towards agreement of the 2025 budget.
We strongly encourage all participating States to engage constructively and flexibly to achieve consensus on our organisation’s Unified Budget. Most pressingly this means us reaching consensus on the budget for 2025 as a vital first step. We can then build on that through the 2026 budget process to drive necessary reform and prioritisation.
Thank you, Mr Chair.
