Our work

By promoting dialogue, confidence and co-operation, the High Commissioner helps to de-escalate tensions and address the root causes of potential conflicts.

The High Commissioner works through quiet diplomacy, which helps build trust among the parties and avoid the potential for these issues to be sensationalized or misrepresented.

The High Commissioner works directly with governments, in confidence, to provide assistance on developing policy and legal frameworks that avoid potential tensions with regard to national minority issues. He also meets with representatives of minority communities, experts in the field and people working on the ground to better understand the situation and offer tailored recommendations.

The High Commissioner has considerable autonomy. The decision as to where and when to become engaged is left to the High Commissioner’s discretion and does not require the approval of the state concerned or of the Permanent Council. This is crucial to the flexibility of the High Commissioner’s involvement. 

While working confidentially and independently, the High Commissioner is nevertheless accountable to the OSCE participating States. The High Commissioner regularly briefs the Permanent Council, keeps the Chairperson-in-Office informed and works closely with other OSCE and international institutions. This gives the High Commissioner the political support necessary to fulfil the mandate.

The successive High Commissioners have encountered a number of recurring issues in their work. In order to guide their own approach, and to provide decision makers in the participating States with concrete advice, the High Commissioner takes a thematic approach. These thematic areas are informed through experience and expertise, and often culminate in the publication of a set of thematic Recommendations and Guidelines.