Brussels, 04/12/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 4 December, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, welcomed the appointment of Helga Schmid, the current Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), as Secretary General of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In his statement, Mr Borrell thanked Ms Schmid “for her unparalleled contribution to the EU’s overall action” and paid tribute to her “remarkable achievements” as Deputy Secretary General and later Secretary General of the EEAS. At the 27th OSCE Ministerial Council, the 57 participating States also appointed Kairat Abdrakhmanov as High Commissioner on National Minorities, Matteo Mecacci as Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Maria Teresa Ribeiro as Representative on Freedom of the Media. (CG)