The OSCE Focus 2017 at a Glance
Held on 13–14 October at Villa Moynier, Geneva, the OSCE Focus 2017 conference was dedicated to the theme ‘Empowering the OSCE in Challenging Times’. Over 40 high-ranking participants from the OSCE community, including the newly elected Secretary General, engaged in focused, open and frank debates on the need for the OSCE to deal with a rapidly changing geopolitical and security environment and to address the organization’s institutional challenges. The key reflections and recommendations put forward are summarized in this report. The conference was organized by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) in close supportive  collaboration with the ministries of foreign affairs of Austria, Italy and Switzerland, and the Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zurich.

About the OSCE Focus Conference Series
Organized in Geneva annually since 2011 by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), the OSCE Focus Conference Series has established itself as an important forum for representatives of the OSCE Chairs, executive structures and participating States, as well as experts from the think-tank community, to review the role of the OSCE and discuss key themes for the organization in the coming year. Conducted under Chatham House Rules, the two-day retreat-style meetings provide an opportunity to critically reflect on the fundamentals of the OSCE, sound out new ideas and take a fresh look at ‘old’ problems. They also prove useful for ‘passing the baton’ to the next OSCE Chair.