A human trafficking network dismantled in the United Kingdom and Bulgaria: nine arrests.
With the support of Eurojust and Europol, authorities in the United Kingdom and Bulgaria have taken action against an organised crime group (OCG) involved in the trafficking of Bulgarian women for sexual exploitation. During a joint action, nine suspects were arrested and eight searches were carried out. Eurojust assisted the authorities in setting up and funding a joint investigation team (JIT) into the case.
The investigation into the criminal network began in the United Kingdom (UK) in November 2021. The suspects allegedly approached vulnerable Bulgarian women and transported them to the UK, where they were forced to engage in prostitution and drug supply activities in London and the surrounding area.
The proceeds of the criminal activities were believed to be laundered by the OCG through businesses and assets in the UK and Bulgaria.
During a joint action day on 26 April, nine suspects were arrested. A total of eight house searches were carried out, four in each country. Assets worth over EUR 1.1 million were seized, including cash, high-value vehicles and property. Five victims have been already identified and brought to safety.
The case was opened by Eurojust in January 2022 at the request of the UK authorities. A JIT was set up between the UK and Bulgarian authorities with the support of Eurojust in June 2022. Two coordination meetings were hosted by the Agency to facilitate judicial cooperation and to prepare for the joint action day.
Europol has been supporting this case since 2021 by facilitating the exchange of information between the authorities involved and providing analytical support. A Europol officer was deployed to Bulgaria on the action day to assist the investigators.
The following authorities took part in this investigation:
Bulgaria: Regional Prosecutor’s Office Pleven; General Directorate Combating Organized Crime
United Kingdom: Metropolitan Police Service; Crown Prosecution Service
Picture credit: General Directorate Combating Organized Crime, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria
The Royal Thai Embassy celebrated Songkran, Thai New Year with a Classical Concert featuring Trio d’amour at the Royal Thai Embassy The Hague on April 19, 2023.
Songkranis a fun-filled spring cultural event that welcomes Thailand’s New Year.It is a time of joy and unity, an excellent opportunity for people to come together and enjoy the festivities.
Trio d’amour is an ensemble of talented young Thai Classical Music Artists consisting of Mr Nonthapat Chaiviratnukul, saxophone, Mr Teesin Puriwatthapong, violin, and Mr Chayuth Kaivihai, cello. Their repertoire includes a selection from the J.S. Bach Goldberg Variations, F. Schubert, and A. Roussel, as well as a selection of Thai music pieces that took the audience on a nostalgic journey: Kwam Rak (Love) 2. Tha Ther Rak Krai Kon Nueng (If you love someone) 3. Ramwong Wan Songkran (Songkran Dance) 4. Ik Sak Ki Krang (How many times) 5. Chivit Chan Kaad Ther Mai Dai (I cannot live my life without you).
Ambassador Chatri Archjananun and his spouse Nataya Archjananun welcomed the Ambassador of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Riaz Hamidullah. The Royal Thai Embassy Celebrates Songkran 2023
Ambassador Chatri Archjananun and his spouse Nataya Archjananun welcomed the guests. Each guest received an original Thai scarf. In brief, Ambassador Chatri Archjananun welcome his guests with the following words, “a very warm welcome to the Royal Thai Embassy. Let me start by extending my greetings in Thai, สวัสดีครับ. We are delighted to welcome you, especially Mr Adrie Braat, a famous musician from the Dutch Swing College Band. This afternoon a classical music concert will be performed by the Trio D’Amour – a group of young and talented Thai musicians.
Trio d’amour Ambassador Chatri Archjananun and his spouse Nataya Archjananun with Trio d’Amour the ensemble of talented young Thai Classical Music Artists consisting of Mr Nonthapat Chaiviratnukul, saxophone, Mr Teesin Puriwatthapong, violin, and Mr Chayuth Kaivihai, cello.
The concert is not just about showcasing musical abilities but also about celebrating the Thai New Year or Songkran. The Songkran festival is also celebrated in many countries in the region, including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, some parts of China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh (Pohela Boishakh), as well as India.
In the picture Nataya Archjananun, the spouse of Ireland ambassador and the Apostolic Nuncio, H.E. Mgr Paul Tschang In-Nam. Songkran 2023
In keeping with Thai tradition, on behalf of the Royal Thai Embassy and as the coordinator of the Asia-Oceania Ambassadors group, we wish you all the best -happiness, health, and wealth throughout the year.”
The Ambassadors from Ireland, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and diplomats from other countries were in attendance. The performance went down well with the audience.
A reception buffet concluded the 2023Songkran festivities.
H.E. Mr. Pham Viet Anh, Ambassador of Vietnam, H.E. Mr. Brendan Gerard Rogers, Ambassador of Ireland.
Thurday, 20 April 2023, Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany: In the framework of the event, Nearshoring: competitiveness and Opportunities for Mexico in the new global scenario, which took place at the Mexican Chancery, the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) and the Mexican Embassy in Germany announced the establishment of the Mexico-Germany Business Council (MDEU) based in Berlin.
The Mexico-German Business Council is a joint effort that deepens the particular interests of the private sector between Mexico and Germany. The initiative was born as a collaborative effort (public and private sectors) to strengthen bilateral economic and educational cooperation, including empowering Mexican professionals, companies, and entrepreneurs residing in Germany.
Ambassador Francisco Quiroga & the visiting delegates.
At the launch event, key leaders from the German and Mexican public and private sector attended the event, including Francisco Quiroga, Ambassador of Mexico in Germany; Francisco Cervantes Diaz, President of the Mexican Business Coordinating Council (CCE); Friedolin Strack, Head of International Markets of Federation of German Industries (BDI), Samuel García, State Governor of Nuevo León; Berend Diekmann, Head of Mexico, USA, and Canada from the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Environment (BMWK); Raymond Wittmann, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CFO to BMW USA; Alexandra Decker, Head of Corporate Affairs of CEMEX Germany; Manuel Perez, Head Advisor to the CCE, and representatives from 8 State Governments in Mexico.
The Mexico-Germany Business Council or Mexiko Deutsche Unternehmervereinigung (MDEU) is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation and mutual understanding between the Mexican and German industries based on the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This strategic council strives to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and resources for a more successful transition towards a sustainable, fair, and prosperous coexistence in both countries.
Mexico-German Business Council launch.
The council will be a crucial networking and support tool for businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in achieving sustainable economic growth.
Its essential functions are:
● Nearshoring: Working hand in hand with the public and private sectors in Mexico and Germany to conduct business meetings in Mexico, Germany, and the DACH region to explore nearshoring possibilities.
● Industry 4.0 and Digitalization: Provide meaningful connections between Startups, Companies, and Governments to strengthen digitalization and the Industry 4.0 ecosystem.
● Market Expansion Support: Assisting Mexican companies and entrepreneurs in their expansion to other markets and increasing their economic partnerships.
● Bilateral Policy Advocacy: Working to promote and develop mutually beneficial economic policies between Mexico and Germany.
● Empowering Strategic Economic Sectors: In alliance with the Mexican government at the federal, state, and municipal levels, together with the Mexican industry and private sector
● International cooperation and development Training: Facilitating the landing of strategic cooperation programs and training representatives from both countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
The Chairman of the MDEU, Raymond Wittman, who is also the CFO of BMW USA highlighted the significant opportunities that this initiative offers to both Mexican and German industries and emphasized the effective commercial cooperation that exists between Mexico and Germany. He stressed that the establishment of MDEU will provide a significant boost to the economies of both countries as it aims to foster economic ties, and promote trade and investment to create new opportunities for businesses in both countries and help to drive growth and innovation.
The management of MDEU consists of Jorge Agraz, Managing Director; Marcelino Turati, the Deputy Managing Director, and Joachim Elsässer, who serves as Advisor.
The launch event provided an excellent opportunity for key industry leaders to network who demonstrated the strong support for increased collaboration between Mexico and Germany.
On 25 April 2023, judge Piotr Hofmański, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Catherine De Bolle, the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation – Europol, signed a Working Arrangement at Europol Headquarters in The Hague (The Netherlands). The Arrangement provides a legal framework to establish cooperative relations between the ICC and Europol, for the two institutions to enhance their cooperation and encourage the exchange of information, knowledge, experience and expertise.
ICC President Piotr Hofmański said: “I look forward to the enhanced cooperation and interaction which will take place under this Working Arrangement. Europol’s expertise and specialist knowledge is world-leading and the ICC is fortunate to be able to benefit from it. I am confident that the strengthened relationship between the ICC and Europol can enhance the capacity of both our organizations to discharge their respective mandates aimed at ensuring that serious crimes do not go unpunished.”
Europol Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said: “The signature of this working arrangement is an important step forward for the international efforts to hold to account those guilty of some of the world’s worst crimes. At Europol, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide have been part of our mandate since 2017. We have received contributions on war crimes from over 20 different areas of conflict, such as Syria, Iraq, Libya and most recently Ukraine. This new level of cooperation with the ICC will allow for a more effective response to core international crimes, with all relevant actors working together and sharing information and resources to end impunity.”
Under this arrangement, the cooperation may include the exchange of specialist knowledge, evidence gathering, general situation reports, results of strategic analysis, information on criminal investigation procedures, information on crime prevention methods, the participation in training activities as well as providing advice and support in individual criminal investigations.
The ICC is the first permanent, treaty-based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, namely war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
Europol is the European Union’s Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation. It serves as the center for law enforcement cooperation, analytical expertise and criminal intelligence in Europe.
Tuesday, 18 April 2023, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany: The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden in Germany, Per Thöresson, attended the meeting of the European Committee of the Bürgerschaft (City-State Assembly).
Thöresson spoke to the committee members about his home country’s programme for the EU Council Presidency. The meeting in the committee has become a tradition – for years, the ambassadors of the presidency countries have presented the programme there, most recently the Czech Ambassador Tomáš Kafka in October 2022.
Sweden had to fundamentally change its programme for the Council Presidency due to the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, said Thöresson at the beginning of his presentation. Supporting Ukraine is now the top priority, he said. “Ukraine is fighting our war. It is fighting for our liberal values. Putin must not win this war.”
Sweden has set the following themes as priorities for the Presidency:
Security – Unity Resilience – Competitiveness Prosperity – Green Change and Energy Transition Democratic values and the rule of law – our foundation
Sweden’s 2023 Presidency is part of the eleventh Presidency trio that began in 2022 and also includes France and the Czech Republic. It is Sweden’s third Presidency after 2001 and 2009.
Photo’s caption: Ambassador Thöresson and the Chair of the Committee on Federal and European Affairs, International Contacts and Development, Susanne Grobien on the left – Picture by ‘Bremische Bürgerschaft’.
The Hague, 20 April 2023 – Chief Prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Serge Brammertz is visiting Republic of Serbia from 20 to 21 April 2023, as part of preparations for his regular biannual report to the UN Security Council (UNSC).
The Prosecutor will meet with senior Serbian representatives to discuss cooperation between the Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor and Serbia, Serbian authorities’ efforts to achieve justice for war crimes, regional judicial cooperation in war crimes cases and the implementation of the National War Crimes Strategy.
Prosecutor Brammertz will also meet with members of the diplomatic community.
It is expected that Prosecutor Brammertz will present his next report to the UNSC in June.
Far from the front line of the war in Ukraine, battle lines of a different kind were drawn when residents of a Moscow district opposed a rumored proposal for a mosque for 60,000 worshippers by a lake cherished by Russian Orthodox believers.
In February, people in Kosino-Ukhtomsky started to voice anger at the complex, which would include a Muslim center and educational facilities. President of the predominantly Muslim Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, fiercely loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, called on anti-mosque demonstrators to “show your patriotism” by going to the trenches in Ukraine.
Prominent MMA fighters also weighed in opposing the mosque, while a video message by Chechens from the battlefield in Ukraine warned they could also wage war on the Orthodox protesters in Moscow.
After weeks of demonstrations, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced on April 5 the mosque would be shifted to a much smaller site elsewhere. The decision got the backing of Patriarch Kirill, who as head of the Russian Orthodox Church and another close Putin ally, has given a canonical justification for the war in Ukraine.
This photo illustration shows a mosque and a church. The rumored proposal of a mosque being built near a Russian Orthodox religious site in Moscow has raised religious tensions in the country.NEWSWEEK; SOURCE PHOTO BY GETTY
The spat over the mosque, “is a part of an ongoing surge in religious tensions, including those among Russian servicemen and mercenaries fighting in Ukraine,” Denys Brylov, head of the Kyiv-based European Centre for Strategic Analytics, told Newsweek. “This tension is largely caused by the influx of Muslim soldiers into the Russian army.”
Along with Putin’s arguments about about NATO encroachment on Russia and “de-Nazification” as reasons for the war, Kremlin propaganda has also portrayed the full-scale invasion as a fight for what Putin has dubbed the “unity” of Orthodox Christian Russians and Ukrainians.
Muslims make up roughly a tenth of Russia’s population and adherents of the faith fighting in Ukraine for Putin are dying in large numbers. Kadyrov’s forces, which are part of Russia’s National Guard, Rosgvardia, but directed by the strongman ruler, have a prominent profile thanks to their videos from the battlefield.
Olga Lautman, senior investigative researcher at the Institute for European Integrity, said there have been clashes between Kadyrov fighters and Russian soldiers.
“We’ve seen the tensions already over the past year escalate,” she said.
Cannon fodder
Brylov said that as well as Russian Muslims, a growing number of army personnel are migrants from former Soviet states in Central Asia. This follows a decree by Putin last September making it easier for foreign citizens who sign up for the military to get Russian citizenship.
“These amendments aim to make up for the attrition in the Russian army at the expense of migrant workers,” he said, adding that many migrants are tricked into signing military service contracts or sent to a war zone instead of being deported.
Two men of Tajik origin reportedly got into an argument with a lieutenant colonel on a military training ground in Russia’s Belgorod region in October 2022. Unconfirmed reports said they responded to an Islamophobic insult by opening fire and killing up to 22 people.
“Non-Slavic and non-Orthodox citizens of the Russian Federation are only second-rank citizens and just cannon fodder for Putin’s war on Ukraine,” Willy Fautré, director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, told Newsweek.
“The question is how long the ethnic political leaders of the non-Orthodox and non-Slavic populations of the Russian Federation will go on tolerating the instrumentalization of their peoples in the never-ending carnage of the ‘special military operation,'” Fautré added, referring to the Kremlin’s term for its invasion of Ukraine.
“Discrimination against Muslims is not uncommon,” he said. “Although the number of Muslim servicemen grows, the Russian army does not provide Muslim servicemen with the necessary conditions for religious observance.”
However, there have always been tensions within the Russian armed forces.
“A lengthy history of the brutal hazing of new recruits is one issue, retaliation against superiors is another,” Robert Crews, history professor at Stanford University told Newsweek. “In the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, who gets sent where, and with what resources has been a major fault line.”
Initially, the Russian military turned to poorer regions with less political influence, which made it more difficult to avoid service.
“Non-Russian recruits, including those of Muslim background, have played a prominent role,” he said. “But it’s not clear that the Kremlin has treated them as cannon fodder because of their non-Russian ethnicity, though many observers have made this claim,” Crews said.
Chechnya President Ramzan Kadyrov is pictured at the Kremlin in Moscow on September 30, 2022. The strongman leader of the predominantly Muslim Russian republic has publicly condemned protesters lobbying against a mosque in Moscow.MIKHAIL METZEL/GETTY IMAGES
Islamophobia
“Racism and Islamophobia are potentially unsettling elements in the Russian army, as in others in Europe and elsewhere,” he said, although the Kremlin’s position is that Islam is a “traditional” Russian religion, and that Muslims are essential to the war effort.
“Orthodox Christian symbols and imagery are dominant, but they do not exclude attention to Islam as a component part of a military that has been multi-confessional since at least the 16th century,” Crews said.
Muslim leaders in Russia have backed Putin’s invasion, repeating Orthodox Christian arguments about the “satanic” nature of the Western enemy. But troops of different faiths both being sold the idea of a “Holy War” could create a gap in logic that is tricky to bridge. Meanwhile, tensions can spill over between Muslim and non-Muslim personnel fighting for Moscow.
Brylov said that the idea that serving in the Russian armed forces is unacceptable, especially under contract, is spreading among some Russian Muslims, who may question the religious validation for the war.
Why Zelensky is right to be nervous about a Trump return
“In the case of prolonged hostilities, lack of changes in the war zone, and, consequently, a growing number of dead Muslims, we can expect increasing dissatisfaction among Muslim servicemen,” Brylov said.
After the war, a growing number of Muslim combat veterans will become more influential both in the Russian armed forces and among military and law enforcement agencies, he added.
There are Muslims fighting on both sides in the war, with adherents from Crimea and Azerbaijan among those who have joined the fight on the side of Ukraine. Anti-Russian Chechens received support from the Ukrainian authorities, which have recognized the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria—the name of the de facto independent Chechen state that existed in the 1990s—as being temporarily occupied by Russia.
Kadyrov, Prigozhin and military bloggers have all been critical of the Russian defense ministry, pointing to different views on how Moscow should fight the Ukraine war as Putin’s efforts falter. Meanwhile, the dispute over the mosque in Moscow could be a prelude to tensions in Russian society after the war ends.
“Putin has been able to hold the different factions together through fear but over the past year, the Russian military continues to suffer these losses and humiliation on the front lines, and you are seeing more and more factions fighting,” Lautman told Newsweek. “And the fighting is spilling over publicly.”
Over the past few years, the MENA Trade Dinners have been established as some of the most successful networking events of the year, with a main focus on the relations between the Netherlands and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries.
In addition to representatives from the business community, many Dutch ambassadors in the Arab countries and also ambassadors of Arab countries to the Netherlands have been present to this diplomatic event, as well as representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs. Mrs. Erica Schouten, Deputy Political Director of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Sjoukje Heimovaara, President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research have delivered the Opening Speech and Keynote Address, respectively.
Mrs. Erica Schouten, Deputy Political Director of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main subject of discussion was the recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which states that global emissions of greenhouse gases and consequential global warming have continued, despite latest efforts, with a 1.1 degree increase on average temperature. This global warming effect is particularly alarming for the MENA region, as the most arid and dry region on earth, with disastrous implications: increasing aridity in North Africa and deepening droughts in West Asia, unprecedented heat waves, a rise of the sea level and the livelihood of many vulnerable people being irreparably affected.
According to the speakers, since the 1970s, in Iraq half of the arable land has been already wasted as a result of the progressive salinization of the soil. Meanwhile, food security is endangered by the increasing demand, because of the sharp population growth. The Russian war in Ukraine has also exposed the vulnerabilities of the global food supply chain and threatened the food security of many countries dependent upon the import of cereals and fertilizers.
MENA is the region most impacted by the current food crisis. The Gulf Cooperation Countries, for example, import about 85% of their food, with rice and cereal imports at almost 95% of their needs. According to the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, 141 million people across the Arab world were exposed to food insecurity last October.
Food security needs attention everywhere, but especially in the MENA region. For MENA to achieve a more stable food supply situation, different policies need to come into place, food production and consumption systems within MENA need to adapt and also food waste must be stopped.
H.E. Ms. Salima Abdelhak, Ambassador of the Republic of Algeria and Marian Reijnen
Director MENA Business Council
International Project Manager
VNO-NCW/MKB-Nederland
Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers VNO-NCW
Royal Dutch Association of Small and Medium Enterprises MKB Nederland.
Globally, one third of all food is wasted; also 30% of all land, water and energy used in production are wasted. The amount of waste could be drastically reduced by using smart apps and food chain initiatives, better storage conditions and also changing the consumption patterns. One example could be diversifying consumption from wheat to other grains such as sorghum and millet, which are more resistant to heat and droughts.
But one of the most important needed transitions would be the one towards the consumption of more plant based proteins and less meat. Animal based products need up to 5 times more resources, land and water than for an equivalent in plant based proteins. Production of beef even requires up to 20 times more. That is why it is now considered that by adapting to a diet with fewer animals based proteins, the self-sufficiency in food production would be significantly increased.
The Ambassador of Morocco H.E. Mohamed Basri.
Food production worldwide is responsible for around 30 percent of all greenhouse gases. At the same time it is the system most vulnerable for the effect of climate change. Experts warn that we need to act decisively and fast to prevent entering into a disastrous downward spiral.
MENA Iftar, The Hague, March 2023.
Agriculture in MENA countries should focus on increasing its domestic food production capacities while using its resources more efficiently. Meanwhile there is a need for further investment in agricultural research and modern technologies, water efficiency needs to increase, heat and salt tolerance also need attention. Early results from a project in the Estidamah Research Centre for protected horticulture in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, developed with support from Wageningen University & Research experts, show that water savings of up to 90 percent can be achieved in local tomato farming. Instead of using 168 liters of water for the production of only one kilogram of tomatoes, only 5 liters of water were needed for an equivalent production, when using high-tech greenhouses (reusing the condensed waters to further irrigate the crop). Technology can consistently increase production.
The Center for Horticultural Excellence in Agadir, in the Kingdom of Morocco, was recently opened, as a result of a very close cooperation between the governments of the Netherlands and Morocco, and the strong mobilization of various Dutch and Moroccan private players, allowing for a sustainable and integrated development of the horticultural sector in Morocco.
Gains can also be made by using more high quality seed material and varieties. That is why Seed NL is facilitating the seed sector transformation in Africa. In Egypt for example, high quality seeds for new varieties of strategic crops already contribute to a more resilient food production.
The Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa.
However, every choice we make has untold benefits but also tradeoffs. High-performance greenhouses provide great water efficiency but cost a lot of energy. All in all, to really transform the food system, a multidisciplinary approach is needed.
Wageningen researchers together with the ones from the University of Science & Technology and the National Agriculture Research Center in Jordan, with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in the UAE, and Greenport Holland, designed a new policy, in order to assist policy makers and other professionals to navigate the tradeoffs between water and energy efficiency, between food security, affordability and safety. With this dashboard, the effects and tradeoffs of certain policies and investment decisions can be weighed. The results of the project were presented during the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Summit at the World Expo in Dubai.
The dashboard allows any user to gain insight into the effectiveness of interventions, and to assess what is their impact on the overall water, energy and food security for a defined region. This can contribute to the development of sustainable policies. Currently, further extension of this dashboard is explored, but reliable data on the local production, trade and consumption are needed. For that, it has to be a coordinated effort.
Marian Reijnen
Director MENA Business Council
International Project Manager
VNO-NCW/MKB-Nederland
Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers VNO-NCW
Royal Dutch Association of Small and Medium Enterprises MKB Nederland.
Young people (aged under 30) constitute more than half (55 percent) of the population across MENA. They have demonstrated resilience to shocks and have led positive change in their communities across the region. They are equipped to build a more skilled workforce in the agricultural sector using their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and developing innovative solutions. But the youth needs further quality education. Young generations are the key to a sustainable, bright future, for MENA and for the world!
“Food security exists, when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient food that meets their dietary and healthy life” (World Food Summit 1996).
This broadly accepted definition of the FAO is very demanding and points to 4 dimensions of food security, namely: availability of, access to food, its utilization and its stability.
In contrast, food insecurity means that at least one of these dimensions is not met. The definition also shows that food(in) security is a gradual phenomenon and food insecurity does not automatically mean hunger. To measure the magnitude and severity of food insecurity, an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (PC) amongst other systems has been put in place.
However, following the latest report of the World Food Programme “the scale of the current global hunger and malnutrition crisis is enormous: This year 350 Mio people are projected to starve from hunger – more than double the number in 2020. More than 900.000 people are fighting to survive in famine-like conditions. This is ten times more than five years ago – an alarmingly rapid increase.
These figures also show that we move away from the aim of zero hunger by 2030 instead of getting closer. Without fundamental and immediate changes in the global food and nutrition system, the global community will fail on its promise to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030 and this would be a shame for the world. Even more so since most experts share the view that the world could nourish up to 10 Billion people.
The status report of “Food Security and nutrition in the world also shows the enormous geographic imbalance of hunger, the uneven distribution within the global society and the harder impact of food insecurity on those who are already disadvantaged.
Children suffer the most from famine and hunger. In 2020 15 Mio children below the age of 5 suffered from hunger “stunting” and another 45 Mio from “wasting” or acute undernutrition.
In the same report the key drivers of hunger were identified. The predominant drivers are persistent military conflicts and terrorism (two thirds) pre-existing and COVID 19 related economic shocks (one fourth) and weather extremes (one tenths). Two thirds of the suffering people are concentrated in only 10 States. This was the situation before the outbreak of the Ukrainian War.
The War caused several additional problems, inter alia food insecurity for many Ukrainians, above all for the displaced persons but also for the world commodity markets.
The UN said, that the war’s impact on the global food market could cause up to an additional 13 Mio people to get hungry, especially in the Middle East and North Africa.
In addition, Ukraine is the Nr.5 amongst the wheat exporters, responsible for 8% of global exports and the Nr.1 in sunflower oil exports (39.5% of global exports). But Ukraine is also the Nr.1 supplier of wheat for the World Food Programme.
In addition one must not forget the volatility of the international wheat market prices. The Middle East and many North African countries are the biggest importers of wheat and as soon as the international wheat prices are rocketing an increase of food insecurity, mainly for the poor people in these countries is unavoidable.
The consequences of such developments are possible turmoil as we have seen in 2015 during the Arab Spring.
All this shows how important free access to the Ukrainian ports is.
To sum up:
Hunger and famine are mainly caused by 3 key drivers: military conflicts and terrorism, economic shocks and weather disasters.
Since 2020 the number of hungry people is rising and the aim to achieve zero hunger by 2030 is very likely out of reach.
There is an enormous geographic imbalance and an uneven-distribution of food within the global society.
The most vulnerable are women and children.
Most experts share the view that the world could nourish up to 10 Bio. people.
Fighting hunger means providing access to food and a fair distribution of food between all countries.
The Ukrainian war worsened food security internally and also globally by adding another 13 Mio to the food insecure people and to provide enough wheat for the World Food Programme.
The free access to the Black Sea ports is of utmost importance to be able to bring enough food to the Middle East and to North Africa.
About the author Franz Fischler
Dr. studies of Agriculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna.
1989-1994: Federal Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Austria;
1995-1999: European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development;
1999- 2004 Commissioner, also responsible for Community Fisheries Policy;
2012-2015, Chairman of the RISE-Foundation, Brussels;
2014/2015: Chairman of the Steering Committee, EU scientific programme to the 2015 Expo Milano;
2012 – 2020 President of the think tank “European Forum Alpbach”.
Since 2015: President of the Board of Trustees to the Austrian Institute of Advanced Studies (IHS).
Advising several governments in SEE and MENA on the EU accession and food-agriculture-fishery matters. Dr. Fischler’s Agricultural Reform (in his capacity of the EU Commissioner) is considered as the most successful reform in Europe of all times.
The Embassy of Guatemala, in collaboration with Diplomat Magazine, organized a Cigars Aficionado afternoon for diplomats and friends.
At Casa del Habano, in The Hague, diplomats from, among other countries, Argentina, Slovenia, Philippines, Ecuador, Egypt, Dominican Republic, and Chile reunited themselves on a Friday afternoon to discuss over a good cup of coffee, later to taste Guatemala rum and De Graaff dark exclusive chocolate.
Then, experts began to talk about the cigars. Raymon van Horssen, owner of La Casa del Habano, presented three products coming from Nicaragua, Ecuador, Honduras, and Cuba (see detailed description below).
Yvonne Litz, owner and founder of Casa del Habano, was also there to guide cigars amateurs in their choices. Diplomats and friends tried the cigars, courtesy of the Embassy of Guatemala. First-time smokers and experts shared a pleasant learning experience. The Embassy of Guatemala will now host a Cigars Aficionado activity for diplomats and friends once a month throughout the year.
Yvonne Litz, owner and founder of Casa del Habano and H.E. Mr. Jose Eduardo Malaya, Ambassador of the Philippines.
Many thanks to Casa del Habano and De Graaff chocolaad for their hospitality!
Casa del Habano – Cigars on display March 2023
JDN numero Uno, a medium strength cigar (it used to be available, exclusively as a diplomatic gift, about two years ago) – Wrapper: Ecuador / Binder: Nicaragua / Filler: Nicaragua. Tasting notes: nutty, caramel, toffee and a touch of orange peel.
Plasencia Cosecha 149, a medium-full strength – 100% Honduras. Tasting notes: earth, coffee, black pepper, baking spices.
RyJ Coronitas en Cedro, smooth strength – 100% Cuban tobacco. Tasting notes: dark caramel sweetness with nutty flavors and mild notes of white pepper.
