Cuhadar, Ayse Aslihan Erbasi2024-10-152024-10-1520111303-4375https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14517/6501For thirty four years the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) has operated as the largest security organization. Over the years, the organization has evolved from an institution for dialogue between the West and East during the Cold War to a unique mechanism which aims an international cooperation based on commitments agreed by all members of the OSCE in a consensual process. Today the organization is facing two important challenges, the first one is about its new role as enhancing its security dimension and secondly strengthening its human dimension through implementing democratic reforms consistent with the OSCE commitments. Therefore, the designation of Kazakhstan in November 2007 as Chairman-in-office for the year 2010 is very noteworthy. Despite its strategic geographical position in the Central Asian-Caspian Basin Zone and rich energy resources Kazakhstan also has to develop an agenda including all current security issues for its chairmanship term and consolidate democratic reforms inside the country demanded by the Western world. Therefore, Kazakhstan's chairmanship presents important opportunities, at the same time significant challenges as well. This paper focuses on these opportunities and challenges as well as Kazakhstan's long journey to take over the OSCE's chairmanship in 2010.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessthe Organization for Security and CooperationOSCECentral AsiaKazakhstanSecurityArticle0