BRATISLAVA, 5 December 2019 – On the margins of today’s 26th Ministerial Council in Bratislava, the OSCE launched a virtual competency and training centre on the protection of critical energy networks. Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajčák, together OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger officially inaugurated the virtual training center.

Given a growing frequency of extreme weather conditions and human-made disasters, the threat to energy networks is becoming ever more urgent. Explosions, major fires, aviation and railway accidents, terrorism, sabotage or cyberattacks have led to blackouts in many OSCE participating States and have posed a major security risk to people. Therefore, providing for safe and uninterrupted energy networks is crucial for the security and stability of all. The virtual centre aims to boost cooperation, and effectively identify and address the challenges of tomorrow in this area.

Inaugurating the Virtual Competency and Training Centre, OSCE Chair Lajčák explained: “This virtual centre offers risk management policies, technical training, capacity building, and other educational tools. Through it, we can share best practices and case studies. It can help us to close the gender gap and make the energy sector more diverse. And, it is an example of how our model of regional cooperative security can be adapted to new and emerging needs – which, given the changes in the environment around us, are more urgent than ever.”

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said: “Modern economies need safe and reliable energy supplies. With the rapid growth of digitalization, big data and artificial intelligence, energy demand will remain high for decades to come. To meet this high demand, we need to make sure that energy reaches those who need it safely and securely. The OSCE is giving energy experts throughout our region a new tool for exchange and knowledge sharing. This will help create a genuine security community in the energy infrastructure field.”

Vuc Žugič, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, who moderated the event, said: “Making our energy networks more resilient is essential for the security and the economic prosperity throughout the OSCE region. The virtual centre is one of the key initiatives supported by the 2019 OSCE Slovakian Chairmanship.”

At the launch event, participants had the chance to test the new training centre and experience a 3D simulation walk-through of critical energy infrastructure.

In the years to come, the Virtual Competency and Training Centre will contribute to enhancing the capacities of OSCE participating States by raising awareness, building capacity, providing professional education, and training modules on the protection of energy networks from emerging threats, including natural and human-made disasters and cyberattacks.