VIENNA, 9 January 2026 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Switzerland’s Foreign Minister, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, will present the programme of the 2026 Chairpersonship of Switzerland to the OSCE Permanent Council at the Vienna Hofburg on Thursday, 15 January.
Journalists are invited to cover Cassis’ speech as part of a pool (spaces limited) starting at 10:00 a.m. (CET) on Thursday, 15 January. The remarks will also be livestreamed on https://www.osce.org/live.
Following the inaugural Permanent Council session with Switzerland as OSCE Chair, a press conference by Chairman-in-Office Cassis and OSCE Secretary General Sinirlioğlu will take place at 12:30 p.m. (CET). The press conference will be held in English and will also be livestreamed on https://www.osce.org/live.
To attend either event in person, please register by 12:00 (noon, CET) on 14 January by sending an email to [email protected] with your name, outlet and position. Please also indicate which event(s) you would like to participate in.
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Switzerland took over the OSCE Chairpersonship from Finland on 1 January 2026. It has defined five priorities: the Helsinki Principles – for lasting peace; inclusive multilateral diplomacy; anticipating technologies – for a safe and humane future; democracy, the rule of law and human rights; and the OSCE’s ability to act.
Switzerland is the first country to have chaired the OSCE three times, following previous terms in 1996 and 2014. This mandate is part of its ongoing commitment to peace, security and stability in Europe and beyond. The new Chair intends to promote dialogue, trust, and security.
- The latest information from Switzerland’s 2026 OSCE Chairpersonship can be found at https://www.osce.org/chairpersonship, https://www.mission-wien.eda.admin.ch/en/osce2026, on X (@SwitzerlandOSCE and @ignaziocassis) and on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/permanent-mission-of-switzerland-to-the-osce)
The OSCE Permanent Council is the decision-making body gathering representatives of all 57 participating States of the Organization and 11 Partners for Co-operation. It convenes weekly in Vienna to discuss developments in the OSCE area.
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