Roberto Montella of Italy has begun service as secretary general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the website of the assembly said.

Montella succeeds the assembly’s first Secretary General Spencer Oliver of the United States.

Montella has held various posts within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Secretariat, most recently serving as director of Presidential Administration.

He previously held positions at OSCE field missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia and Montenegro, fulfilling a range of advisory, peace-building and management functions. He also served as head of the OSCE South Serbia Regional Office and head of the European Center for Minority Issues in Kosovo.

The secretary general’s term is five years and may be renewed twice.

The OSCE is the world’s largest regional structure dealing with security issues. It brings together 57 countries.

Azerbaijan is a member of the OSCE since January 30, 1992.

The OSCE PA is an interparliamentary organization that brings together the parliaments of countries that are members of this structure.

The OSCE PA Standing Committee voted in favor of Montella at 2015 Annual Session in Helsinki on July 5-9, following a unanimous vote by the Bureau, according to the website of the assembly.