On 15 October 2025, UNRCCA welcomed Ambassador William R. Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, for a session of its Preventive Diplomacy Academy (PDA). The event brought together around 60 participants from Central Asia and Afghanistan as part of the Academy’s 2025 cohort.
Ambassador William R. Leaf, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat and a diplomat with over 30 years of experience in international security affairs, delivered a keynote presentation entitled “The OSCE: Confidence Building, Trust, and Peace.” In his remarks, he outlined the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) evolution, mandate, and enduring relevance in promoting regional peace and security.
In his presentation, Ambassador Leaf reviewed the evolution of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from its origins as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) during the Cold War to its transformation into the world’s largest regional security organization following the 1994 Budapest Summit. He emphasized the Organization’s comprehensive and inclusive concept of security, encompassing three mutually reinforcing dimensions: the politico-military, including arms control and counter-terrorism; the economic and environmental, addressing corruption and the sustainable management of natural resources; and the human dimension, promoting human rights, gender equality, and fundamental freedoms.
Drawing on the principles of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, Ambassador Leaf underscored the OSCE’s enduring role as a platform for dialogue among its 57 participating States. He also highlighted the Organization’s active engagement in Central Asia through its field operations in Ashgabat, Astana, Bishkek, Dushanbe, and Tashkent.
The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, reflecting strong interest among Preventive Diplomacy Academy participants in the OSCE’s activities and its contribution to regional peace and stability.
Looking ahead to the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act in 2025, Ambassador Leaf reaffirmed the OSCE’s founding mission to foster dialogue, build trust, and promote lasting peace.
UNRCCA continues to maintain close cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, including the OSCE, focusing on information exchange, joint preventive diplomacy initiatives, and confidence-building measures across Central Asia.
