LJUBLJANA/VIENNA, 2 April 2025 – The annual OSCE Summit on Demography and Migrations (TiP Alliance) was held in Vienna on 31 March and 01 April, arranged under the Finland’s OSCE Chairmanship (chaired by its Justice Minister), the OSCE Secretary General (who opened the gathering), and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The 57 participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), plus their partners from the Middle East and Asia, discussed the current geopolitical moment and the security challenges of today.
The OSCE is the second largest multilateral system in the world, right after the United Nations (UN). A unique organization that brings together everyone, from Vancouver to Vladivostok, has begun as a strategic conference to relax tensions between the Western and Soviet blocs, in the form of the Decalogue, in Helsinki, forty years ago (1975).
Demography and migrations are an inseparable part of European security and socio-political considerations. In the context of disruptions, whether through social polarization, armed conflicts or disruptive (use of) technologies, the demography and migrations (including their utilization or eventual misuse) and related societal pulsations play an essential role in a well-being of every society. The multidisciplinary approach to this topic - that usually considers security, social-economic and political considerations – must maintain constant observance of and full respect to the international humanitarian law and human rights law, holding the highest standards of accountability for all.
Opening the important panel "Mobilizing the Private sector: Innovative Tools to Combat Child Trafficking” by the closing of the Summit’s first day, the Director of the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1], Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović, spoke about the connection between the security, socio-political composite and political costs to uncontrolled migrations. The IFIMES Director stressed importance of three simultaneous activities on international political front: full legal protection of vulnerable categories, rethinking of demographic renewal strategies in Europe as well as linking migrations with the viable economic development in the sending migratory regions as the best way to decrease migratory pressures, and global disparity gaps.
The high-level gathering attracted the attention of diplomats and specialists from all over the world. The much spoken Ukrainian crisis (that paralyses many international bodies and overburdens attention of audience) should not distract Europeans from the most pressing existential threat posed on Europe - possible demographic collapse.
The panel was organized by the International Institute IFIMES in cooperation with the international scientific journal European Perspectives and featured keynote speakers Taha Ayhan, ICYF President on the topic "Demography, Migrations, Trafficking in the OSCE countries – why should the OIC world be part of the debate?; Role of ICYF”, Edna dos Santos, former UNCTAD Creative Industries Chief, now the Culture for Peace Board Chair on the topic "Creative Economy: Protecting Vulnerable Populations– Women, Minors, Indigenous peoples in Rural and relegated areas".
Panelists included Eileen Dong, Executive Director, Hope Pyx Global, US with intervention titled: "The Intersection of Child Exploitation, Global Supply Chains, and Biotech"; prof. Birgitta Dresp-Langley, PhD, Director for Research, CNRS, France with paper titled: "Children's psychological vulnerability and the internet"; Survivor advocate: Laila Mickelwait, Founder/CEO, Justice Defense Fund, US “Combating the Abuse through Technology”.
Presentation of the IFIMES Mini study: “Technology and the Abuse” has been conducted by Shaikha al Marri, Qatar (IFIMES GCC Regional Head), Dunja Spasojević, IFIMES CEE Information Officer, and Kamila Bogdanova, IDM Research Fellow.
The moderator was Dr. Anis H. Bajrektarević, Professor of International Law and Global Political Studies, while Eva Petrič presented a short video-art performance titled “SURRaGATE LANDSCAPES”.
Giving the practical contribution to the linking of migrations with (creative) economy, IFIMES invited two young African female entrepreneurs, Happyneser Paulo Mtabilwa and Brenda Nafula Makokha, to exhibit their work that protects vulnerable categories, enhances indigenous knowledge and offers viable economic opportunity for the young migrants from the developing world.
Ljubljana/Vienna, 2 April 2025
[1] IFIMES - International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN in New York since 2018, and it is the publisher of the international scientific journal “European Perspectives”, link: https://www.europeanperspectives.org/en
