OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu Completed First Official Visits
Türkiye's top diplomat, Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu, has been appointed the new Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He will take office at the beginning of 2025 and will lead the world's largest regional security organization during a time of global crises and geopolitical tensions. The unanimous election of the 57 OSCE member states underlines the international trust in his many years of experience and diplomatic expertise.

Feridun Sinirlioğlu, born in 1956 in Görele, Turkey, has an impressive career in international relations and diplomacy. After studying political science at Ankara University, he completed his doctorate at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. His professional career has taken him to central diplomatic posts: from 2009 to 2016, he worked as State Secretary in the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and in 2015 he briefly took over as Foreign Minister. From 2016 to 2023, he was Turkey's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In addition, he was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as UN Special Coordinator for an Independent Investigation under UN Security Council Resolution 2679 (2023) in 2023.
Challenges for the OSCE
Sinirlioğlu takes over the OSCE at a time of considerable challenges. The ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has not only shaken Europe's security architecture but has also limited the OSCE's ability to act. The organization is also suffering from internal blockades, particularly concerning budget issues and personnel decisions. It was not until the end of 2024 that the Maltese OSCE Chairmanship was able to reach an agreement on the controversial appointments to important posts. In addition to Sinirlioğlu, Greek diplomat Maria Telalian was appointed as head of the Office for Democracy and Human Rights (ODIHR), Dutch diplomat Christophe Kamp as High Commissioner on National Minorities, and Norwegian Jan Braathu as Representative on Freedom of the Media.
First diplomatic steps in new role: Vienna and Helsinki
Just a few weeks after taking office, Sinirlioğlu held his first high-level talks. On January 16, 2025, he traveled to Helsinki to meet with the new OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. During these talks, he reaffirmed his commitment to an effective and resilient OSCE and emphasized the importance of hard diplomatic work in times of multiple crises. The war in Ukraine also played a central role in the talks. Valtonen made it clear that “Russia's attack on Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law and the basic principles of the OSCE” and that Finland, as the OSCE Chairmanship country, stands firmly by Kyiv.
This was followed by a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna on January 28, 2025. As the host state of the OSCE, Austria considers itself to have a special responsibility for the organization. Schallenberg assured Sinirlioğlu of his full support and emphasized the need to provide the OSCE with the necessary financial and institutional resources to ensure its ability to act. “The more challenging the geopolitical situation is, the more important it is that we do not return to our echo chambers, but that states on both sides of the Atlantic and the Urals sit down at the same table and talk about security,” said Schallenberg.
Prospects for the OSCE under Sinirlioğlu
Sinirlioğlu has set himself the goal of strengthening the OSCE as a central platform for security policy dialog and crisis management. This also includes overcoming internal institutional blockades, particularly in budgetary matters, as the OSCE has been suffering from funding problems for years. He also wants to expand the OSCE monitoring mechanisms and intensify its mediation role in existing conflicts, for example in Ukraine or the South Caucasus. His experience in international negotiations and multilateral institutions could play a decisive role in this.
Feridun Sinirlioğlu is taking over the leadership of the OSCE at a time of global uncertainty. With his many years of experience in international diplomacy and his good connections to the UN and other multilateral organizations, he brings the necessary expertise to reposition the OSCE as an important player for security and cooperation in Europe. The coming months will show whether he succeeds in leading the organization out of its institutional crisis and consolidating its role in the European security architecture.