The Mediterranean Chapter at Fifty: The OSCE’s Southern Engagement​

This article is part of the Special Issue on “The OSCE at 50: Reflections on security, cooperation and human rights”, published on a rolling basis between July and November 2025. The Special Issue was curated and edited by Walter Kemp and Christian Strohal, Security and Human Rights Monitor Editorial Board members and guest editors-in chief.

Abstract

Marking fifty years since the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, this article examines the evolution and contemporary relevance of the OSCE’s Mediterranean Chapter. It highlights Malta’s decisive role in embedding the Mediterranean dimension into the Final Act, traces how the OSCE’s comprehensive security approach inspired later regional initiatives, and reviews the development of the Mediterranean Partnership as a platform for dialogue, confidence-building, and practical cooperation.

About the author

Elizabeth Abela Hampel joined the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Malta in Vienna in February 2021 as Senior Political Officer. In 2024, during Malta’s Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), she assumed the position of Liaison Officer in the OSCE Secretary General’s Office and chaired the Advisory Committee for Management and Finance. Prior to joining the Mission, Abela Hampel served as Deputy Head for Anti-Terrorism Issues at the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, where she led key counterterrorism capacity-building initiatives.Ms Abela Hampel holds a Master’s degree in Journalism, Communication and Political Science from the University of Vienna.

DOI: 1058866/WZGD3675