Andorra Hosts 400+ from 51 OSCE States at Autumn Parliamentary Session

Andorra is set to host more than 400 participants from 51 of the 57 OSCE member states at the 24th Autumn Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), taking place October 7 to 9 at the Andorra la Vella Congress Centre.

Organised by the General Council, the event carries the theme "Emerging challenges, shared responses: Strengthening cooperation in the OSCE area." It will feature the Standing Committee meeting, the Parliamentary Conference, and the Mediterranean Forum. The opening ceremony will involve General Syndic Carles Ensenyat, OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons, and OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioglu.

The Parliamentary Conference will focus on three key areas: parliaments' role in fostering trust and defending multilateralism; energy sovereignty, security, and sustainability; and protecting vulnerable populations from artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and hybrid threats.

A total of 407 people have been accredited, including 321 parliamentarians, according to General Council delegates Meritxell López of Demòcrates, Carles Naudi of Ciutadans Compromès, and Pol Bartolomé of Concòrdia. They previewed the session at a press conference on Monday.

López called the turnout a significant achievement, given that not all states usually attend due to elections or other issues. She attributed it to robust planning built on Andorra's successful hosting in 2017, with delegates expressing eagerness to return and the event boosting the country's global profile.

Naudi noted that autumn session debates often shape resolutions at the OSCE PA's annual February gathering. On October 8, representatives of small European OSCE PA states will meet to coordinate actions and highlight shared priorities, following a prior memorandum from Andorra's Conference of Presidents of Parliaments of Small European States.

Notable attendees include University of Andorra Rector and former Foreign Affairs minister Juli Minoves, and US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Bilateral meetings are being arranged with delegations from France, Spain, and Portugal.

Ahead of the main session, the OSCE PA Youth Parliamentarians Network—promoted last term by councillor Roger Padreny—will hold a workshop on October 6, featuring an encounter with Andorra Business and a debate at the University of Andorra. Topics will cover youth entrepreneurship and related issues, Bartolomé said.

This marks the second time the General Council has organised the OSCE PA Autumn Session, after 2017.