ERGNETI, 14 February 2025 – The 123rd Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti today under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Bettina Patricia Boughani, and Christoph Späti, the newly appointed Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.
The co-facilitators opened the first meeting of 2025 by welcoming the commitment of the participants to the IPRM format. Addressing his first IPRM as Special Representative, for the OSCE Chairpersonship of Finland Christoph Späti highlighted the importance of dialogue and of focusing on the situation of conflict-affected in an inclusive manner. He expressed hope that established efforts and initiatives will be sustained by all participants, including the good practice of technical meetings on water-related issues.
IPRM participants reviewed the security situation along the administrative boundary line (ABL), addressing instances of ‘borderization’, and the persistent challenges faced by the conflict-affected communities. The co-facilitators urged the release of detainees and called for an end to detentions.
Discussions centred on restrictions to freedom of movement, with the EUMM and OSCE advocating for the full re-opening of crossing points. They emphasized that this would considerably enhance the livelihoods of women, men, children and elderly people living near the ABL in particular.
All participants praised the EUMM-managed Hotline, designed to help 24/7 communication on the ground, as an essential tool for exchanging information, defusing tensions and managing incidents in a timely manner.
The participants agreed to convene the next regular IPRM meeting on 3 April 2025. A technical meeting on water irrigation issues will take place earlier in the same week.
