Austria - International Political News

Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian foreign politics with reference to the international interest

Qatar Celebrates National Day Same Day as World Cup Final

Qatar celebrates its most important holiday of the year through a bunch of events annually. This time, it is more of a special occasion, since on the same day as the national day the Fifa World Cup Final is also held in Qatar, which boosts the celebratory atmosphere in the country.

December 18, 2022

Austrian Parliament Passes Resolutions Regarding Iran and Ukraine

The Austrian Parliament has passed several resolutions concerning worldwide human rights issues such as hunger in Ukraine and women’s rights in Iran.

December 15, 2022

OPEC Plus Marks Sixth Anniversary

The Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) between OPEC member countries and 10 non-OPEC oil-producing countries turned six years old. As the oil cartel engaged in diplomatic celebrations, OPEC reaffirmed its expectations for global oil demand in 2023.

December 14, 2022

Minister Schallenberg at the European Foreign Affairs Council

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Brussels for the European Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) to meet with his counterparts from the other EU-member states. The main focus of the agenda was Iran.

December 14, 2022

Austrian President Van der Bellen Visited Slovenia

Re-elected Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen traveled to Slovenia for an official visit with his counterpart Borut Pahor. Besides discussions around the common issues in Slovenian, Austrian and European politics, this visit was also a farewell meeting between "personal friends", as Pahor is leaving office.

December 14, 2022

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani Visits Vienna

Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani came to Vienna for a meeting with Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Chancellor Karl Nehammer. The visit of Tajani asked for the opportunity to consolidate cooperation and talks with Vienna on the main bilateral issues (especially in the fields of economy, energy and infrastructure), European and international, starting with the migration issue.

December 13, 2022

Austrian Parliamentarians Report on Visit to Ukraine

During a press conference representatives of the Bilateral Parliamentary Group Austria-Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine reported on their visit to war-torn Ukraine. Members of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Austrian Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), the Green Party and the NEOS took part in the trip.

December 12, 2022

Romanian Interior Minister Lucian Bode Accuses Austria of Lying

Romanian Interior Minister Lucian Bode wrote a letter to Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, strongly criticizing him for Austria's rejection of his country's Schengen accession.

December 12, 2022

Romania Got Denied Schengen Because of Austria's Veto

On Thursday, the 26 responsible ministers of the Schengen states held a summit in Tirana where Austria denied Romania and Bulgaria access to the Schengen area. Chancellor Karl Nehammer made reassuring statements on Saturday regarding this issue.

December 11, 2022

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Landsbergis Visits Vienna

Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis came to Vienna for a visit, meeting his counterpart in Austria, Alexander Schallenberg. In addition, Landsbergis met with IAEA Chief Rafael Mariano Grossi and OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid. The exchanges focused on the Russian war in Ukraine, in particular European support efforts against the backdrop of the approaching winter, as well as the prosecution of war crimes. In addition, the two foreign ministers discussed current developments in Iran and increasing migration pressure.

December 11, 2022

Wirecard Scandal: Trial of Marsalek and other Austrian Entrepreneurs to Begin

The Wirecard criminal trial in what is believed to be the biggest fraud case in Germany since 1945 begins in Munich. The public prosecutor's office accuses the former Wirecard CEO, Austrian Markus Braun, and his two co-defendants of forming a criminal gang, falsifying the group's balance sheets and cheating lenders of 3.1 billion euros

December 7, 2022

First Indications Because of Morbid Parcels to Ukrainian Embassies

The suspicious and morbid parcels sent to Ukrainian embassies and consulates in various countries all have a Tesla dealer in Germany as the sender. As recently reported, Ukrainian missions abroad received "Bloody" packages with animal eyes, also in Austria.

December 7, 2022

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The 16 Days of Activism is an annual campaign against gender-based violence that runs from November 25 to December 10, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. There are 20 panels on the outside grills of the French Embassy building in Vienna dedicated to preventing and combating violence against women.

December 6, 2022

Schallenberg Travels to Slovakia for “Slavkov 3” Meeting

The Austrian foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Slovakia to meet with his Slovak and Czech counterparts to discuss the important topics currently challenging the region.

December 5, 2022

Suspicious Parcel Sent to Ukrainian Embassy in Vienna

The armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate. The war is taking on additional dimensions as time goes on, and they are not limited to the fronts. Foreign representations of Ukraine have already become the target of suspicious mail in twelve countries, according to the government, with the Ukrainian embassy in Vienna also affected.

December 5, 2022

UN Internet Governance Forum in Ethiopia: Austria's Constitutional Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler Appointed to Governing Body

To increase the content and importance of the Internet Governance Forum, a ten-member Leadership Panel chaired by U.S. information scientist Vinton Gray Cerf was established. Austria's Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler was appointed to this leadership panel by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

December 4, 2022

OPEC Plus Sticks to Production Strategy

The OPEC+ oil alliance is sticking to its current production strategy for the time being. EU sanctions against Russia's oil revenues will apply from tomorrow. The OPEC+ countries have nevertheless confirmed their previous oil production targets. However, an expert committee wants to review the production strategy every two months.

December 4, 2022

Defense Ministers of Western Balkans Meet in Austrian Wachau

The Defense Ministers of the Western Balkan States met today with the Austrian minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner. The meeting was about the global security challenges which include the Westbalkan states.

December 2, 2022

Russian Foreign Minister Gets Excluded from OSCE Security Meeting

The annual Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Security Council took place between the 1st and 2nd of December in Lodz, Poland, where the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Countries met. However, the meeting was overshadowed by the back-and-forth situation between the Ministers of some OSCE countries – mainly Poland - and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

December 2, 2022

Austria Gives 8 Million Euros to Syria and Jordan

The Syrian conflict, which has been going on for more than 10 years, has led to one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises. The precarious situation on the ground and in neighboring Jordan, where many Syrian refugees are, is worsening and a political solution to the conflict is not in sight. Austria's humanitarian aid on the ground is helping to prevent illegal migration to Europe, the government said.

November 30, 2022

Iran Nuclear Talks: Iranian Officials Say Talks Are "Dead End"

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the nuclear negotiations have reached a "dead end", adding that Europe has not fulfilled its obligations. Even so, Iran's foreign ministry said it is committed to finding a diplomatic solution to its nuclear dispute with the U.S. and Europe, but it is not optimistic the negotiations with Washington will succeed.

November 29, 2022

Austria Condemns Hunger as a Weapon

Austria condemns Russia's tactic of using world hunger as a weapon. Austria pledges € 3.8 million to the initiative "Grain from Ukraine" for the delivery of Ukrainian grain to needy people in Ethiopia and Sudan.

November 28, 2022

Orange the World: Austria Combating Violence Against Women

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations. Especially in Austria, the worst violence against women recently occurred, namely femicides. In 2022, Austria will also participate in the UN campaign "Orange the World - 16 Days against Violence", which takes place annually between November 25, the International Day against Violence against Women and Girls, and December 10, the International Human Rights Day.

November 24, 2022

Austria Gives 5.5 Million Euros for Burkina Faso and Mali

The Sahel is facing a multitude of crises. In addition to widespread poverty and the worst drought in decades, armed conflicts and terrorist violence are affecting the people of the region. With a total of 5.5 million euros from the Foreign Ministry's Foreign Disaster Fund, the Austrian federal government aims to alleviate the existing suffering in Burkina Faso and Mali.

November 23, 2022

Austrian Research Center Stresses Too Little Attention to Conflict Countries at COP27

The Austrian Centre for Peace research center calls for stronger cooperation as a solution for climate protection and peace. ACP emphasizes that at the COP27 (UN Climate Change Conference) the impact of the climate crisis in conflict countries was only touched upon marginally, although the pressure of the climate crisis on such countries is the highest.

November 22, 2022

Austrian Parliament Calls for More Support for Protests in Iran

The Austrian Parliament, the National Council, unanimously condemned the violent suppression of the current protests in Iran. The deputies demanded that actions on the part of Iranian institutions in Austria be monitored more closely and punished.

November 22, 2022

Austria Strengthens Cooperation with Serbia and Hungary Against Illegal Migration

Austria, Hungary and Serbia once again consulted on the topic of migration. In the Serbian capital Belgrade, Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. As a result of Serbia's visa-free policy, Hungary and Austria are exerting pressure on it.

November 21, 2022

Austrian President Van der Bellen Meeting with Iran Experts

Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met with experts today at noon for an exchange on the current situation in Iran. Afterward, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen spoke about the situation in Iran in a video statement.

November 21, 2022

Austria Participates in Conference to Strengthen Protection Against Explosive Weapons

The high-level international conference to sign the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences of the Use of Explosive Weapons in Inhabited Areas was held in Dublin. Austria was also represented at this conference.

November 20, 2022

Explosions at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant Worry IAEA

There have been several powerful explosions at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). IAEA experts on site had reported dozens of impacts near and on the site of Europe's largest nuclear facility.

November 20, 2022

North Korea Sets Missile Test on Purposeful Escalation with the West and the IAEA

The provocation on the part of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, which has been going on for years, is becoming more and more intense. In recent weeks alone, a large number of missiles have been fired at both the east and west coasts. The International Atomic Energy Agency fears that North Korea's nuclear program is moving forward.

November 20, 2022

Austria's Chancellor Nehammer on Missile Strike in Poland

According to current knowledge, a misguided Ukrainian missile was the cause of the impact in Poland. Austria's Chancellor Nehammer calls for prudence as the "order of the day,", especially in times of war, and condemns the large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukrainian civilian facilities.

November 16, 2022

Austrian Government Adopts New Three-Year Program for Development Policy

The new three-year program of the Austrian development policy from 2022 to 2024 was adopted. According to the government, the three-year program aims to open up sustainable life prospects for people in partner countries by creating an environment of social and political stability on the ground and sustainable development in line with the 2030 Agenda.

November 16, 2022

How Austria's Population is Developing

Around eight billion people currently live on earth. According to the UN, this figure will rise to around ten billion by the end of the century. According to the latest forecasts, the trend in Europe and Austria is different. Read more about the United Nations World Population Prospects 2022!

November 15, 2022

Austria's Schools Abroad to Meet the Demand for Skilled Workers

Austria's Minister of Education, Science and Research Martin Polaschek presents the future strategy of Austrian schools abroad during his working visit to Albania. During his visit to the Austrian school abroad in Shkodra, the Minister of Education emphasizes the potential of these schools, especially about the demand for skilled workers in Austria, and announces a reorientation of the schools.

November 14, 2022

WWF Austria Demands Climate Conference 2026 in Vienna

The World Climate Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh is being held these weeks. Meanwhile, the environmental protection organization World Wide Fund For Nature is calling on the Austrian federal government to apply for a "Vienna Climate Conference 2026".

November 13, 2022

Space Diplomacy: UNOOSA and United Kingdom on Global Space-Related Climate Action Efforts

With the support of the UK Space Agency, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs has published a report on the use of space technology to support climate action. At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), the report was released to coincide with Earth Information Day. It aims to improve understanding of how selected stakeholders are utilizing space technology.

November 11, 2022

IAEA at the UN Climate Summit in Egypt

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency is also well-represented at the World Climate Change Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Between the energy crisis and climate targets, nuclear energy is regaining importance in several countries, and for the agency, the task is to convince.

November 10, 2022

Austria Plans to Increase Climate Aid

A significant increase in Austria's international climate financing budget is planned. The climate protection ministry will provide an additional 220 million euros by 2026, according to Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen at the UN World Climate Conference in Egypt.

November 9, 2022

Austria and European Security: Extended Mandate for EU Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The UN Security Council has renewed the mandate of the EU-led stabilization mission EUFOR Althea in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Austria currently provides 167 soldiers and Major General Anton Wessely an Austrian is in command of the EUFOR force in Bosnia. In recent months, however, Moscow has expressed reservations about the EU mission.

November 9, 2022

Austrian Think Tank Identifies Need for Improvements to Ukraine's Reconstruction Plan

Together with the GROWFORD Institute in Kyiv, the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies has investigated how the Ukrainian government's reconstruction plan, presented in July, should be evaluated. How much will Ukraine's reconstruction cost and where will the money come from?

November 8, 2022

What is the Alps-Adriatic Economic Network?

Since 2007, the Network of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Crafts, Agriculture and Economy of the New Alpe Adria (NAAN) has been working to deepen economic relations. It now comprises - with the new addition of Bolzano - ten chambers from Austria, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. According to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, with one million member businesses, NAAN is making rapid progress toward becoming an EU Alps-Adriatic macroregion. Read more to find out about the project.

November 7, 2022

Austrian President Van der Bellen at the UN Climate Summit in Egypt

Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen is going into the COP27 world climate conference with mixed feelings. Given the insufficient or inadequately implemented results of previous climate summits, optimism is "not easy - but necessary," said Alexander Van der Bellen at the conference venue in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

November 7, 2022

Vienna Conference on Journalist Safety 2022

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, the Austrian Foreign Ministry, together with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, hosted the Vienna Conference on the Safety of Journalists. The conference, entitled "Safety of Journalists: Protecting media to protect democracy" was attended by more than 400 representatives of governments, international organizations, media and civil society.

November 6, 2022

Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce and EU-Mercosur Agreement

The Association Agreement between the European Union and MERCOSUR countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, includes provisions on political dialogue, cooperation and trade. For the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce, the agreement is a fair trade deal that increases exports and jobs, and high social and environmental standards remain untouched. The EU would be the first region to conclude an agreement with Mercosur.

November 4, 2022

Austria at Western Balkans Conference in Berlin

Austrian Federal Minister Susanne Raab represented Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at the Western Balkans Conference in Berlin, as the Austrian Foreign Minister had to cancel his participation due to a positive Corona test. Minister Raab declared at the Western Balkans Conference "that we as the EU must finally get going when it comes to the integration of the six states of the Western Balkans."

November 4, 2022

OSCE Operations in Ukraine and Russian Opposition in Vienna

Russia represents an increasingly tough opposition in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, while the organization is trying to support Ukraine by all means. Despite a veto from Moscow, the OSCE has resumed its work on a limited basis in support of Ukraine despite the closure of the Special Monitoring Mission.

November 3, 2022

Delegation of Iranian Nuclear Negotiators Will Arrive in Vienna

An Iranian delegation will travel to Vienna in the coming days to try to resolve differences with the International Atomic Energy Agency. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

November 3, 2022

Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto Visits Vienna

Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto is visiting Vienna and met with various dignitaries in Vienna. Bilateral talks with Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Secretary-General of the OSCE Helga Maria Schmid and IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi focused on European security, energy security and the Russian war in Ukraine.

November 1, 2022

Celebration of the 99th Foundation Day of Türkiye in Vienna

The invitation of the Turkish Embassy in Austria was accepted by numerous representatives of the diplomatic corps, representatives of Austrian state institutions as well as prominent members of the large Turkish diaspora in Vienna. The reception on the occasion of the celebration of the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey took place in the Strauss Hall of the Vienna Kursalon.

October 30, 2022