Letter from OSCE PA Secretary General and Interoffice Memorandum on COVID-19

Interoffice Memorandum
Date 06 March 2020
To OSCE PA Staff
From Roberto Montella, Secretary General
Object COVID-19 – OSCE PA Temporary Preventive & Mitigation Measures
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020, I have been closely monitoring the situation
having in mind, on the one hand, the well-being of all OSCE PA staff and, on the other, the
need to ensure the continuity of our key mandated operations.
The overall situation with COVID-19 is currently very volatile. According to the World Health
Organization’s (WHO) Situation Update of 5 March 2020, the risk assessment at global level
is “Very High”. Many countries are introducing sharp measures to prevent and mitigate the
propagation of the new coronavirus among their citizens. This includes growing restrictions on
international travel that may directly impact on our ability to perform our mandated tasks. As
it is impossible to predict what will happen over the next weeks and months, the best way
forward is prevention and mitigation, together with some good contingency planning.
As of 28 February 2020, I have appointed Marco Bonabello and Dimitrije Todoric to represent
the OSCE PA in the OSCE taskforce in charge of developing a common preventive response
to the COVID-19 outbreak. Due to rapidly evolving developments, the taskforce meets on a
daily basis in the OSCE Secretariat in order to identify and recommend preventive responses,
closely liaising with national and international stakeholders on this matter. All OSCE structures
are encouraged to maintain close collaboration with the taskforce, address the preventive
responses recommended by the taskforce and seek close coordination with relevant national
and international stakeholders in their respective host countries. In case the situation further
deteriorates, the OSCE Crisis Management Team will be activated and the work of the taskforse
will be streamlined into the Crisis Management Team.
Consistently with the Inter-Office Memorandum issued by the OSCE Secretary General of 26
February 2020, following up on our internal correspondence dated 29 February 2020 and 02
March 2020, and building on the preliminary recommendations of the OSCE taskforce, I have
decided to introduce the following preventive and mitigation measures on a temporary basis
and with immediate effect:
• OSCE PA staff shall keep abreast of the latest COVID-19 developments from trusted
official sources (e.g. WHO). Host countries (i.e. Denmark and Austria) responses to the
outbreak should be duly monitored, as well as recommendations of relevant
International Organizations.
• OSCE PA Staff shall implement the basic protective measures recommended by WHO
(www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public) in
order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease in the workplace.
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Additional information and guidance may be found on WHO’s website.
(www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019).
• All “non-essential” duty-travel to affected areas1
is banned until further notice. All
other duty-travel shall be reconsidered and, in so far as feasible, postponed or cancelled.
The responsibility to determine whether a duty-travel is essential or not rests with the
Secretary General, having consulted with the leadership of the Assembly and relevant
senior staff as appropriate, and in line with relevant OSCE taskforce’s guidance. The
well-being of all OSCE PA Staff, the prevention of acquiring the COVID-19 within the
OSCE PA and a sensible approach should prevail.
• All private travel to affected areas is discouraged. If not avoidable, it should be
immediately announced/reported to Senior Management as it could lead to self-
quarantine measures upon return.
• Senior management shall regularly reconsider all official OSCE PA activities planned
until July 2020 (e.g. statutory meetings, EOMs, official visits, conferences, seminars,
etc.) against the background of the evolving security and heath situation in view of
preventing and mitigating all possible concerns and consequences connected to the
COVID-19 outbreak.
• Whenever a duty-travel, or official activity, cannot be cancelled nor postponed,
adequate mitigation measures should be put into place, including making pro-active
use of video-links and other modern communication technologies, minimizing people-
to-people contacts, implementing all required hygiene standards, etc.
• Flexible working arrangements shall be enacted to prevent the propagation
of seasonal viruses/infections among OSCE PA staff. All employees facing early flu
symptoms, returning from trips (both official and private) to affected areas and having
particular situations at home (e.g. in case of schools closure, elderly/sick persons to take
care of at home, etc.) shall submit a request for telecommuting to their direct
supervisors, who will decide being mindful of the well-being of all OSCE PA staff and
the need to ensure business continuity.
In moving ahead, the OSCE PA International Secretariat will also consider enacting the
following measures in close coordination with our OSCE partners:
• Develop/update its business continuity plan to ensure continuation of key operations
in case of a pandemic outbreak. This shall entail identifying essential operations and
staff and ensuring that all personnel can operate from home (telecommuting) with the
appropriate equipment.
• Establishing a rotational officer-in-charge system to ensure 24/7 handling of all
requests for support by staff on duty.
• Setting up a COVID-19 committee, comprising the Chief of Administration and
Finance, Security focal point, Staff Representatives and relevant colleagues to advise
the Secretary General as appropriate.
With kind regards,
Roberto Montella
1
According to the WHO, affected areas are considered those countries, provinces, territories or cities
experiencing ongoing transmission of COVID-19, in contrast to areas reporting only imported cases.


_________________
Tordenskjoldsgade 1, 1055 Copenhagen K., Denmark
Phone: +45 33 37 80 40 - Fax: +45 33 37 80 30 - OSCEPA@oscepa.dk - www.oscepa.org
The Secretary General
To:
OSCE PA President
Members of the OSCE PA Bureau
Members of the OSCE PA Standing Committee
Copenhagen, 9 March 2020
Dear President,
Dear Members of the Bureau,
Dear Members of the Standing Committee,
I am writing to update you about the preventive and mitigation measures that the OSCE PA
International Secretariat has put in place in the light of the outbreak and spread of the COVID-
19 coronavirus.
In this regard, please find attached to this letter the Interoffice Memorandum I have circulated to
my staff last Friday. It contains specific instructions and recommendations aimed at minimizing
risks and at enhancing the safety and health of our Members and Staff, which remains our utmost
priority, while trying to ensure continuity to our key mandated activities.
Measures include the reduction of travel and non-immediately necessary activities, as well as the
development of flexible working arrangements, including telecommuting and the increased use
of video-conference equipment.
This Interoffice Memorandum has been drafted in close coordination with the OSCE executive
structures and its newly established COVID-19 Taskforce, in which we are active participants.
Within this framework, we are striving to coordinate all of our efforts and maintain a consistent
approach with the other OSCE Institutions. We are also strictly abiding to all recommendations
issued by our two host countries, Denmark and Austria.
The spread of the virus is indeed generating great uncertainty and unpredictability. Please rest
assured that, together with my team, I am constantly monitoring the rapidly evolving situation
and I will take due care of informing you of any relevant updates concerning the feasibility of
our planned activities.
Yours sincerely
Roberto Montella
Secretary General
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