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Read the latest headlines about diplomatic missions and international organizations in Vienna and Austria
Vienna's International Organizations, Missions & Institutes
Top Energy Events Put Vienna in the Focus of the Global Clean Energy Economy
The Vienna Energy Forum 2018 in May in Vienna brings together a multitude of people and institutions to discuss and solve the key questions of the present on the topic of energy. Among them are heads of state, ministers, energy experts, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, academia, civil society and the private sector. The PFAN Climate and Clean Energy Investment Forum and the R20 Austria World Summit are also part of this huge event. This event, sponsored by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a high-level summit about leadership on implementing the Paris Climate Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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David Goodhart at the IWM: Dilemmas of Post-Liberalism
David Goodhart, a British journalist, commentator, author and the director of the Demos thinktank discusses immigration and liberalism with Ivan Krastev at the IWM Institute of Human Sciences.
April 13, 2018
Opening of the Austrian Consulate General in Chengdu
Austria has set up a consulate general in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, with President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl attending the opening ceremony during their state visit to China. Van der Bellen also expressed his wish for a new male panda bear.
April 12, 2018
Minister of Economy Visited Huawei and Alibaba During State Visit to China
Federal Minister of Digitization and Business Location Margarete Schramböck signed an agreement to facilitate access to Chinese trading platforms for Austrian companies during the current state visit to China at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFCOM) in Beijing. Global experience shows, however, that one should be cautious with regard to technical cooperation with Chinese and copyright issues.
April 12, 2018
Meet the Ambassador of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna: H.E. Mr. Mitsuru Kitano
H.E. Mr. Mitsuru Kitano is the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna. Just recently Ambassador Kitano together with the host, UNIDO's Director-General Li Yong, attended a joint event for launching UNIDO projects in Etiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Liberia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, after the government of Japan has confirmed that it will contribute over US$5.2 million to projects in these 8 countries.
April 4, 2018
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Vienna: The Prodigal Son's Interim Visit
Shortly before his planned heart operation Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Vienna to prepare the second R20 Austrian World Summit, scheduled to take place on May 15, 2018 in Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. Among others the former Governor of California met Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to discuss the upcoming summit. Last week Schwarzenegger had undergone emergency open-heart surgery following complications that arose during a planned heart valve replacement.
April 4, 2018
Meet the Ambassador of Japan to Austria: H.E. Mr. Kiyoshi Koinuma
H.E. Mr. Kiyoshi Koinuma is the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Austria as well as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Japan to Kosovo and Macedonia.
April 3, 2018
14,000 International Scientists Meet in Vienna to Discuss Earth-related Topics
The largest geosciences meeting in Europe will take place from 8 to 13 April in the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). The EGU (European Geosciences Union) 2018 General Assembly brings together more than 14,000 geoscientists from all over the world into one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, planetary and space sciences. This year, for the first time, the EGU is organising an event for the wider public in Vienna.
April 3, 2018
Vienna Based UN Agencies Join Forces to Combat Migrant Smuggling
At the United Nations in Vienna, IOM, the United Nations Migration Agency, and UNODC organized an event centring on a Joint Platform on Countering Migrant Smuggling. The aim of the initiative is to deny criminal traffickers the means and opportunity and end the impunity of smugglers.
March 30, 2018
Repatriation of Austrian Gold Reserves Nearing Completion
This year, and not in 2020, the OeNB Austrian National Bank is already concluding its repatriation campaign for half of its gold reserves. By the end of the year, 140 tonnes of gold are to be stored in Austria, with the other 140 tonnes remaining in London (84 tonnes) and Switzerland (56 tonnes).
March 30, 2018
Vienna - Moscow: Maintaining All Communication Channels Is Crucial
All the evidence suggests that Russia is to blame for the poison attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. To date, 19 EU countries and 7 non-EU countries have expelled more than 150 diplomats. By deciding not to expel Russian diplomats, Austria is opposing most of its partner countries.
March 27, 2018
Jens Weidmann Demands in Vienna an End to Massive Bond-Buying Program
The head of Deutsche Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann, visits Vienna to receive the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold (Grosses Goldenes Ehrenzeichen) from Finance Minister Hartwig Löger. In his speech he called for a rapid end to bond purchases by the European Central Bank (ECB).
March 26, 2018
Austrian Support for Peace and Security Programm in Horn of Africa Region
Vienna based ADA - Austrian Development Agency signs an agreement on peace and security in the Horn of Africa with EU and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development). The EUTF - EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa provides 40 million euros. 35 million of this will be made available to ADA and 5 million directly to IGAD. The ADA passes on one million euros to IGAD. The Swedish International Development Agency SIDA will also contribute one million euros..
March 26, 2018
OSCE Secretariat and UNODC Sign Joint Action Plan to Countering Transnational Threats to Security
Recently, the UNODC and the OSCE, two of the largest international organisations in Vienna, signed a follow-up agreement to better address threats and developments threatening international public security, which is against drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism and in favour of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
March 23, 2018
OECD's Angel Gurría and IIASA Agree to Tackle Critical Global Problems Facing Humanity
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Secretary-General Angel Gurira led a high-level OECD delegation to visit IIASA. The Secretary-General gave a special lecture titled "Better Policies to meet the Systemic Challenges of the 21st Century" at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, which was followed by the signing of an OECD-IIASA Memorandum of Understanding. The aim of the agreement is to jointly shape and develop innovative policies by applying systems thinking to the critical global issues facing humanity.
March 22, 2018
Analysis: Vienna's 900 Years of Close Ties With Former Tax Haven Liechtenstein
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen visited the Principality of Liechtenstein during a state visit to Vaduz. After 14 months, he has finally visited the last of Austria's neighbouring countries. The state was known as a tax haven until November 2013. The Liechtenstein tax affair and offshore leaks have contributed to the neighbouring country signing an international agreement to prevent tax evasion.
March 22, 2018
Austrian Attaché at Tel Aviv Embassy Poses in T-Shirt of Right-Wing Identitarians
Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl has recalled Jürgen-Michael Kleppich, Attaché at the Austrian Embassy in Tel Aviv. The reason for this are media reports that shortly after Kleppich moved to Israel in January 2018, he posted a picture of himself in a T-shirt from the shop of right-wing extremist Identitarian Movement on Facebook.
March 22, 2018
Expat Advise: How Does the Austrian Tax and Social Security System Work?
If you are moving to Vienna as an expat or are already living here with employment income and want to find your way around the complicated Austrian tax and social security system, Vindobona recommends attending an interesting event organised by the Vienna Business Agency and Deloitte Austria.
March 22, 2018
80th Anniversary of Mexico’s Protest Against Anschluss of Austria to Hitler-Germany
On 19 March 1938 Mexico submitted a note of protest to the League of Nations against the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany (known as “Anschluss”). At that time Mexico was the only member of the League of Nations to issue a written protest.
March 21, 2018
Hungary Forces Central European University of US Billionaire Soros to Move to Vienna
In view of the political pressure exerted by the Hungarian government under the proposed amendments to Act CCIV of 2011 on Hungarian National Higher Education, the Central European University (CEU) of US billionaire George Soros feels compelled to look for alternatives. The city of Vienna naturally offers itself as an excellent alternative or supplement. The CEU and the City of Vienna are already in negotiations about a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would enable CEU to open a satellite campus site in Vienna. The Otto Wagner area at Baumgartner Höhe is being examined as a possible location.
March 16, 2018
Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria / 在ウィーン国際機関日本政府代表部
Updated address, contact and mission details of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna, Austria (Ständige Vertretung Japans bei den Internationalen Organisationen in Wien), including its priorities in the nine international organizations where the Permanent Mission of Japan (PMJ) is engaged.
March 12, 2018
Annual Report of the European Commission: How did Austria do?
The European Commission presented its annual reports on 27 EU member states. How did Austria do? Well, it kinda ended up with a black eye. The report took a pop at Vienna for a number of structural shortcomings, including tax burden on labour, pension and healthcare expenditures, house prices, restrictive regulation in the services markets, stagnating productivity and and not enough action on spreading digital technologies. That isn’t a particularly good report card for the previous coalition government of ÖVP und SPÖ. Let’s see if the new coalition government of ÖVP und FPÖ can make the grade the next time around.
March 11, 2018
Extremism-Gate: Special Session of Austrian National Council Convened
The somewhat opaque events surrounding the house search of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counter-Terrorism (BVT) are now making political waves. It is deeply disturbing that a unit, which in itself is not responsible for this, is supposed to have carried out the house search at the BVT and allegedly took highly sensitive intelligence information with it. The matter stinks to high heaven. The Austrian opposition has convened the National Council. The parties SPÖ, NEOS and Liste Pilz (LP) demand that Interior Minister Herbert Kickl (FPÖ) provides a complete explanation.
March 9, 2018
Austrian Delegation Seeks to Improve Economic and Political Relations with Jordan
An official visit of President Van der Bellen to Jordan will take place from 17 April to 19 April 2018. The delegation to Amman will be accompanied by an economic mission headed by WKO Vice President Richard Schenz. The economic mission of the WKO is the response of an invitation issued some time ago by the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Kingdom.
March 8, 2018
IAEA Staff Association Ball 2018 Review: Colours of Africa
Recently, the IAEA Staff Association Ball 2018 took place in the halls of the Vienna Hofburg. Many international guests came together under the motto "Colors of Africa". A great multicultural ball with fantastic dancefloors from ballroom to latin to disco. A glittering and happy end to the 2018 ball season.
March 7, 2018
The OSCE in 2030: Undivided Security in Europe Now More at Risk Than 10 Years Ago
In the Austrian National Defence Academy, the security issue "The OSCE in 2030: Undivided Security in Europe restored?" was discussed in the form of a public panel discussion. At the invitation of the International Institute for Peace (IIP), the Karl-Renner-Institut, the Scientific Cluster for Polemology and Legal Ethics, the FES Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe (ROCPE), the Austrian National Defence Academy and the ISP Institute for Security Policy, Hannes Swoboda as moderator and the panelists Thomas Greminger, Fyodor Lukyanov, Stephanie Liechtenstein, Alena Kupchyna discussed the hoped-for security policy development of Europe and the OSCE.
March 7, 2018
Trevor Traina Looks Forward to Become the United States Ambassador to Austria
Today Mr. Trevor Traina testified before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Nomination Hearing. If confirmed, Mr. Traina is to become the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Austria. Traina: I am humbled to be President Trumps nominee to be the United States Ambassador to Austria. If confirmed, his grandmother, who just celebrated her hundredth birthday and who is the widow of his late grandfather Wiley T. Buchanan Jr. (who also served as U.S. ambassador to Austria), would have the confusing honor of being the wife and the grandmother of the Ambassador to Austria.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Austria
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Vienna. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Botschaft des Fürstentums Liechtenstein in Wien.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of Austria in the Principality of Liechtenstein
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of Austria in the Principality of Liechtenstein. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Österreichischen Botschaft im Fürstentum Liechtenstein.
March 1, 2018
Embassy of Austria in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Updated embassy and consulate contact details of the Embassy of Austria in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Aktualisierte Botschafts- und Konsulatskontaktdetails der Österreichischen Botschaft in Islamabad, Pakistan.
March 1, 2018
Chancellor Kurz Visits President Putin: "The situation in Syria is dramatic"
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz traveled to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin. The focus of the trip was a working meeting with the Russian President, with whom Kurz discussed, among other things, the bilateral relations of both countries, the relationship between Russia and the EU, the Ukraine conflict and the current situation in Syria.
February 28, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria: Juan Bautista Sunye Mendia
Updated background details of Mr. Juan Bautista Sunye Mendia, the current Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Austria.
February 23, 2018
Federal President Widow Margot Klestil-Löffler Designated to Become Special Envoy to Russia and China
Due to tensions in the CEI Central European Initiative in Trieste between the Italian diplomat Giovanni Caracciolo di Vietri as CEI Secretary General and his deputy Margot Klestil-Löffler, it is rumored that the Foreign Office must find a new job for Klestil-Löffler. This is what the daily "Der Standard" writes in its Thursday issue.
February 23, 2018
Austria's Economic Upturn will Continue in the First Half of 2018
The Austrian National Bank expects GDP growth of 0.8 percent for the first two quarters compared to the previous quarter. The economic momentum is unbroken.
February 22, 2018
Meet Her Excellency Austria's New Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl
Karin Kneissl (53) was recently appointed Austrian Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. At present, she is busy touring Europe and introducing herself to her counterparts, or inviting them to the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs in Vienna.
February 20, 2018
IIASA Builds Bridge through Science with Israel
The Laxenburg based international research organization IIASA (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis) has recently announced that Israel has become its newest member country. Israel joins 24 other countries whose National Member Organization’s representatives constitute the IIASA Governing Council. Israel has established the Israel Committee for IIASA - made up of representatives from Israeli universities, government ministries, and the public - to represent the Israeli membership of IIASA.
February 19, 2018
Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Vienna, Austria
Updated address and contact details of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Vienna, Austria
February 14, 2018
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Vienna, Austria
Updated address and contact details of the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in Vienna, Austria. (Updated Consular Section information please see below.)
January 2, 2018
Goals of Austria's OSCE Chairmanship 2017
Germany will chair the OSCE until the end of December and will then hand over to Austria in 2017. Austria will promote greater security and stability as well as the preservation of common values within the OSCE region.
August 31, 2016
Social Progress Index: Austria Ranked 13th
Austria has been ranked 13th by NGO Social Progress Imperative, in its Social Progress Index ranking. It precedes Japan and Germany and scored many points thanks to renewable energy projects. However, the state reveals shortages with respect to education, tolerance and equal opportunities. Nordic states, such as Finland, Canada and Denmark lead the index.
July 25, 2016
What Role Should the OSCE Play in the Refugee Issue?
Possible roles for the OSCE in the context of the migration and refugee flows across the OSCE area were discussed at a special meeting of the Permanent Council in Vienna. The OSCE Permanent Council is one of the main regular decision-making bodies of the Organization bringing together representatives of all 57 OSCE participating States and the 11 Partners for Co-operation.
July 21, 2016
Austrian Ministerial Council Approves EUR 1.5 Mln for Iraq Humanitarian Aid and Resettlement
The Austrian Ministerial Council approves 1.5 million euros in funding for humanitarian aid and resettlement in Iraq. The humanitarian aid for the population in need on the ground and measures aimed at promoting resettlement are supposed to contribute towards managing the refugee crisis.
July 15, 2016
Austria Takes Over OSCE Chairmanship: "Need for Decisive Action!"
In his first address to the OSCE Permanent Council as incoming OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Austria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sebastian Kurz said that the fight against radicalization will be the main priority of Austria’s 2017 OSCE chairmanship. In first address to OSCE Permanent Council, incoming Chairperson-in-Office Austria’s Foreign Minister Kurz, stresses
July 14, 2016
New "Open Austria Initiative" Supposed to Open Doors to Silicon Valley
Foreign Ministry and Austrian Economic Chamber open joint office in California to support Austrian companies and pave their way for success in Silicon Valley.
July 14, 2016
OSCE: "Reliable, Affordable and Sustainable Energy Supplies are Prerequisite for Stability and Security"
Energy experts from the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, representing both government institutions and private sector companies, will begin a week-long field study of sustainable energy in Austria and Germany.
July 12, 2016
Western Balkans Summit was Held in Paris
Following the 2014 Western Balkans Summit in Berlin and the Vienna Western Balkans Summit of August 2015, the third Western Balkans Summit was held in Paris in the context of the ‘Berlin Process’. More than 500,000 of the people with migration background who live in Austria are from the region. Austrian companies have hundreds of branches or subsidiaries in the Western Balkans, which clearly illustrates the very close economic relations.
July 8, 2016
Western Balkans Countries Discussed Investment, Jobs and Integration in Vienna
The World Bank and the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) held a high-level policy dialogue on ‘Investment, Jobs and Integration’ last week. Ministers and senior officials from the Western Balkans region as well as policy experts from international organisations and the business community gathered to discuss the challenges the region is currently facing, in particular the high unemployment rate, low international competitiveness, and lack of modern infrastructure.
July 8, 2016
Christine Muttonen Elected President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier today congratulated Christine Muttonen on her election as President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
July 6, 2016
Human Rights of Refugees Must Also Be Protected
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, the OSCE and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) emphasized that any solutions to the refugee crisis in Europe must ensure the dignified treatment and protection of the human rights of all refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and migrants.
June 21, 2016
Austrian Business Meets Foreign Diplomacy
In the context of the ‘Business meets Diplomacy’ series of events, representatives of the Austrian economy meet members of the foreign diplomatic corps for an exchange of views on Austrian business and the economy.
June 20, 2016
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