Bangladesh-Netherlands: Cruising Beyond 50 

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Bangladesh-Netherlands: Cruising Beyond 50 

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Hague, April 2022. This year the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are celebrating their Golden Jubilee of Diplomatic relationship. Diplomat magazine had a causerie with the Ambassador of Bangladesh H.E. Mr M Riaz Hamidullah to accentuate this memorable milestone.

“50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE NETHERLANDS”

At independence, many doubted the ‘idea of Bangladesh’. Some doubted viability of Bangladesh even, especially in the wake of floods and famine in the 1970s.

However, Minister Jan Pronk and many in the Netherlands and Scandinavia reckoned with the strengths of Bangladesh’s society and culture. The development aid was to improve the conditions of women, health, education, and natural capital. The past 4-to 5 decades saw so much of challenges tackled sustainably, including combatting riverbank erosion in an active nature delta. Social engineering considerably contributed to the ‘creation of wealth’ for millions at the grassroots. Thus, not only did extreme poverty fall to around 20%, social and income inequality was much more manageable compared to elsewhere in Asia.

Bangladesh now also has a homegrown class of entrepreneurs who are globally engaged and competitive. Today, Bangladesh is the second-largest economy in South Asia; and Bangladesh’s GDP is larger compared to some of its South-East peers. Comparing Bangladesh merely in respect of US$ 2,200+ per capita might not tell the larger canvass. As the two countries finished the first half-century of diplomatic ties, Bangladesh pitches the accent on “celebrating friendship” between the two nations. As the Ambassador elaborates, the first logical step in building any solid relationship has to be  recognise and solidify the elements of friendship with any person.

The same should hold right in the case of countries and understand the needs and mutuality of interest. A long-lasting friendship also asks for each to know each other deeper and ascertain what is mutually needed and then shape a unique menu of engagement to cooperate.

The Embassy is thus promoting elements of Bangladesh art, culture, films, music and crafts that can connect with a young Dutchman or woman. This April, for instance, Bangladesh screened an award-winning feature film on climate change in cinema Lumiere at the heart of Maastricht city. Last November (2021), a Bangladeshi film had its global premiere at the iconic Pathe Tuschinski (1921) in Amsterdam.

At the same time, while the Embassy is focused on its core activities of engaging with the Government, it is actively reaching out to the Dutch academic and knowledge circuits e.g. Universities. In observing International Mother Language Day (21 February 2022), the Embassy travelled to the Leiden University College in Den Haag and held a creative observance of the Day with faculty and students of diverse backgrounds, not just from the Netherlands.

The Ambassador explained, “this is the way Bangladesh not just tries to tell of its history but also its approach to secure global values like empathy, tolerance and multi-culturalism”.

Export. Bangladesh’s key exports to Europe are readymade apparel, leather, IT services and agriculture. Recent years have seen the fast emergence of automobiles, digital hardware, pharmaceuticals, and household appliances manufacturing.

FAO statistics show Bangladesh featuring within the top 10 global producers of fruits and vegetables. Key among them is Mango. Due to the agro-ecological condition, Bangladesh mango offers a distinct fragrance and flavour.  Last summer, a former Dutch MP tweeted Bangladesh mango as the “Champagne of mangoes”. About 2.5 million MT of mango are produced every year. Furthermore, pineapple, guava, jackfruit, and lichi have a promising future in the Netherlands and Europe. Fibre of Bangladesh Jute is also very famous.

During the Covid pandemic (2020), a BBC documentary showcased the properties of green jackfruit. While many people regard the ripe (yellow) jackfruit as a fruit, the green jackfruit is a popular vegetable to many in South Asia. Rich in anti-oxidant, it is billed as the next superfood (vegetable) and a replacement for meat.

Soon after Bangladesh emerged as an independent country,  engagements began with development assistance. Five decades on, Bangladesh now has a robust, competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The future looks promising as Bangladesh is developing its own API (active practical ingredients) industry. Bangladesh now meets 98% of its domestic drug demand. Drugs are exported to over 140 countries worldwide, including for cancer.

Another knowledge-centric economic growth is that 85% of all Android smartphones in Bangladesh are manufactured locally.

The bilateral trade (NL – BD) figure of US$ 1.5 billion per annum speaks little of the expanse and potential between the two countries. A wider menu of economic engagements is on the horizon. With so much Agri tech and innovation in NL, Bangladesh merits going to the next level in the agri-food landscape drawing on Dutch knowledge and technology.

The Embassy is thus promoting elements of Bangladesh art, culture, films, music and crafts that can connect with a young Dutchman or woman. This April, for instance, Bangladesh screened an award-winning feature film on climate change in cinema Lumiere at the heart of Maastricht city. Last November (2021), a Bangladeshi film had its global premiere at the iconic Pathe Tuschinski (1921) in Amsterdam.

At the same time, while the Embassy is focused on its core activities of engaging with the Government, it is actively reaching out to the Dutch academic and knowledge circuits e.g. Universities. In observing International Mother Language Day (21 February 2022), the Embassy travelled to the Leiden University College in Den Haag and held a creative observance of the Day with faculty and students of diverse backgrounds, not just from the Netherlands.

The Ambassador explained, “this is the way Bangladesh not just tries to tell of its history but also its approach to secure global values like empathy, tolerance and multi-culturalism”.

Export. Bangladesh’s key exports to Europe are readymade apparel, leather, IT services and agriculture. Recent years have seen the fast emergence of automobiles, digital hardware, pharmaceuticals, and household appliances manufacturing.

FAO statistics show Bangladesh featuring within the top 10 global producers of fruits and vegetables. Key among them is Mango. Due to the agro-ecological condition, Bangladesh mango offers a distinct fragrance and flavour.  Last summer, a former Dutch MP tweeted Bangladesh mango as the “Champagne of mangoes”. About 2.5 million MT of mango are produced every year. Furthermore, pineapple, guava, jackfruit, and lichi have a promising future in the Netherlands and Europe. Fibre of Bangladesh Jute is also very famous.

During the Covid pandemic (2020), a BBC documentary showcased the properties of green jackfruit. While many people regard the ripe (yellow) jackfruit as a fruit, the green jackfruit is a popular vegetable to many in South Asia. Rich in anti-oxidant, it is billed as the next superfood (vegetable) and a replacement for meat.

Soon after Bangladesh emerged as an independent country,  engagements began with development assistance. Five decades on, Bangladesh now has a robust, competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The future looks promising as Bangladesh is developing its own API (active practical ingredients) industry. Bangladesh now meets 98% of its domestic drug demand. Drugs are exported to over 140 countries worldwide, including for cancer.

Another knowledge-centric economic growth is that 85% of all Android smartphones in Bangladesh are manufactured locally.

The bilateral trade (NL – BD) figure of US$ 1.5 billion per annum speaks little of the expanse and potential between the two countries. A wider menu of economic engagements is on the horizon. With so much Agri tech and innovation in NL, Bangladesh merits going to the next level in the agri-food landscape drawing on Dutch knowledge and technology.

Currently the 37largest economy globally, Bangladesh is a manufacturing economy where newer industries are emerging. That is why, a unique Agri-Business Conclave (Den Haag, 30 May 2022) aims to draw the leading Bangladeshi entrepreneurs in the agriculture and food industry to tie up with their Dutch peers, in partnership with leading Dutch platforms. Eventually, the Dutch entrepreneurs and SMEs are set to be exposed to the possibilities of collaboration through a Dutch Trade Mission by the end 2022.

New business model, example: Netherlands-Bangladesh business and investment mapping study ‘Mapping the ground @50 stitching partnerships’, RVO’s Market scan on potentials in Horticulture, Poultry, Dairy and Fisheries sectors of Bangladesh, Bangladesh-Netherlands Investment Summit (online) on Agriculture- Food, Light Engineering, Water- Maritime, BrainPort- EIPO’s preliminary survey visit, Dialogue on Bangladesh Agriculture in collaboration with WUR: looking into the future, Bangladesh’s participation in Floriade EXPO 2022, present Bangladesh’s potentials through social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter) and launching of a curated site https://bdunplugged.com/ Vision 2041, Bangladesh will be  a developed and prosperous country by 2041.

While the Netherlands is a regulated delta, Bangladesh remains an active-most delta. In both lands, life and economy revolve around water. Both countries face increasing climatic stress. Yet, the Dutch and Bangladeshi people continue to address the limits of nature in their unique ways through their aspirations, resilience and continuing innovation.

In a land of 170 million people, today Bangladesh has over 30 million of her population classified as a Middle and Affluent Class (MAC). Other than being an exporting country, the growing demand for goods and services within Bangladesh is creating a next opportunity that should interest the Dutch companies.

For example, even a decade earlier, tea was a notable export from Bangladesh. With growing demand from the Bangladeshi middle class, there is now little tea to export abroad. Similarly, by 2030, half of Bangladesh’s population looks certain to live in urban areas. Faster urbanisation will generate newer economic activities. These are the ways the changing Bangladesh economy should signify investment opportunities for the Netherlands and others.

In the service-orientated economy that the Netherlands is, Bangladesh is exploring newer avenues e.g. impact investment. This is manifested in recent outreach from the Brain Port (Eindhoven) in Bangladesh.

Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary visits the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. She visited a Rohingya refugee camp at Ukhiya (Cox’s Bazar district) where she met with Rohingya refugee women and children at the camps. Princess Mary also met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka.

As a genocide was unleashed on the 1.5 million Rohingya people in the Northern Rakhine State of Myanmar, even though Bangladesh was not a signatory to the Convention for refugees (1951), out of sheer humanitarianism, Bangladesh opened her borders.

Nearly five years on, hosting such over one million Rohingya population has cost Bangladesh the economy, society and ecology. Each year thousand newborn children are added to the figure. Given the nature of the issue, Bangladesh looks forward to their dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar at the earliest. Bangladesh demonstrated her humanity to the Rohingyas to save them from the atrocities of the Myanmar government.

The Rohingya dossier is a highly moral issue of justice and accountability for the entire humanity. In a world of competing issues, justice for and return of the Rohingyas to their country Myanmar often is missed out.

Since 2009 the government has implemented many megaprojects, including the Padma Bridge, Metrorail, elevated expressway, Karnaphuli tunnel, the LNG terminal, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, and 100 special zones apart from the development of road, rail and waterway communication.

By all means, recent data bodes well for Bangladesh!

When Will the War in Ukraine End?

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When Will the War in Ukraine End?

Predicting the beginning and the end of a war is always a difficult task

By Chan Kung

Many people would think of the usage of models and data, which would most likely refer to data on combat power, staff computing operations etc. A more advanced approach for some would include the super-complex model such as war games. Overall, the use of these methods depends on the target audience. The approach and delivery are different for the media or academia, in which the use of data would be necessary for the audience to understand and verify the forecasted results.

If the target audience is neither the media nor the academia, the use of different approaches would be necessary. The results would be tested on the battlefield rather than relying on statistics in the decision-making circles. A practical example given here is making predictions through information analysis.

The focus of such analysis, is naturally, information. The first important piece of information about when the war in Ukraine will end is to refer to the news from Moscow that it plans to end the war in September 2022. The second piece of important news is that Russia has about 1,200 to 1,300 missiles in its inventory.

Combining these two pieces of information allows us to do a simple analysis. If we calculate the average number of missiles that Russia uses on the Ukrainian battlefield every day, we find that at least 300 missiles are launched in a month by the Russian army. Now we are in the month of May, and after 5 months, Russia’s missile inventory will be exhausted. This means that, by October 2022, the Russian military will have almost no effective weapons to attack Ukraine. By then, of course, or maybe at a sooner date, Russia will have to attempt to end the war.

A question that naturally follows this is, can’t the Russian army use other methods to continue the war?

The answer is no. Because the Russian Air Force has gradually lost its advantage in the Ukrainian sky, if the air force is used to penetrate the battlefield, the losses will be heavy. Hence, the offensive force that Russia can rely on now is only to project missiles from combat aircraft outside the line of sight. Another approach is to use the small but large number of World War II period artillery to bombard indiscriminately, yet the areas assaulted will be ranging from zoos to children’s playgrounds. Therefore, the Russian army seems to have fewer battlefield options than what most people imagine.

Based on some key information, together with an analysis on the information of Russia’s missile inventory, the conclusion is clear. All indications point toward the end of the war in Ukraine from around September to October 2022.

The accuracy of the forecast will be verified as the event unfolds, and this is positivist style of thinking.

For some people, models and data are the only way to forecast the future, rather than simpler methods like information analysis. In this situation, the outcome may be determined with the use of all available data after the war is over. However, we now have a clear and convincing conclusion used to judge the prospects of war.

About the author:

Chan Kung

Chan Kung – Founder of ANBOUND Think Tank (established in 1993), Mr. Chan Kung is one of China’s renowned experts in information analysis.

Most of Chan Kung‘s outstanding academic research activities are in economic information analysis, particularly in the area of public policy.

The Latin American Table, Sonia Meijer inspiration

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The Latin American Table, Sonia Meijer inspiration

“In 2015 I launched the Latin American Table at Nieuwe of Littéraire Sociëteit De Witte, a traditional fascinating club which the statutory  objective to promote the mutual communication of its members mostly focused in literature, the fine arts,  history and Sciences” says Sonia Meijer to Diplomat Magazine.

Her professional career and her strong and enterprising character, has led her to achieve boundless accomplishments, among them, the design of this Latin American platform. It is a prestigious scenario in The Hague to showcase issues related to Latin American States and having as guest speakers foreign ambassadors, political and cultural figures from the Netherlands and overseas.

“There were 190 tables from different countries at Sociëteit De Witte, but none of them pertaining to Latin American matters. I immediately saw the opportunity and the need to open the first Latin American Table at Nieuwe of Littéraire Sociëteit De Witte.” As the Honorary Consul of El Salvador and Founder President of the bilateral Chamber of Commerce El Salvador-Holland, Mrs. Meijer has been actively searching for increased export-import business opportunities for her homeland, El Salvador.

The Latin American Table is an open get-together for all members of the Club, and for non-members by invitation only. The original four Latin American tables per annum has increased by demand. All lectures are in English.

The Latin American Table board of directors chooses cautiously each guest speaker. Meijer has invited ​​some 40 speakers addressing different topics.

“I am always keeping in mind my country, El Salvador. Our regional cultural characteristics keep us united, the main reason to call this project The Latin American table. Indeed, some events are exclusively dedicated to El Salvador, where are invited famous Salvadorian artists like Camilo Minero, Rodolfo Oviedo Vega, and the like.” Expressed Honorary Consul Sonia Meijer.  

“I would like to thank all our guest-speakers participating at the Latin American Table. A very special gratitude goes to Diplomat Magazine, the very first diplomatic magazine in the Netherland’s history, founded by and for diplomats.  

I look forward to a successful Latin American Table to many years to come.

China’s Economic Development:  A Successful Model in the Rise of Nations

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China’s Economic Development:  A Successful Model in the Rise of Nations

Rather than a country on the verge of greatness, China is currently the world’s greatest nation. Every region on the planet was penetrated by China peacefully and without interfering in the affairs of states, the Chinese did not fall into their advance or establish subordinate governments and did not participate in military action outside their borders.

Since China’s economy has risen to the top of the global economy in a very short period of time, it has become one of the most distinctive and original worldwide models of its type, thanks to the economic miracle achieved in such a short period of time.

China’s transition from a planned or controlled economy that failed to meet its growth goals to a market economy based on almost fair competition has been a long and tough process. Everything else in the world has dried up, leaving just Chinese commodities to reign supreme. China’s economy would be affected if it ceased exporting to the world’s markets for whatever reason, especially to the nations that consume all of its products.

China became a global economic powerhouse in the early years of the twenty-first century. About 700 million people have been lifted out of poverty since its industrialization began in the 1970s, and it is now the world’s most populous country and the greatest donor to global development efforts, which began with a primarily agricultural economy. Since the late 1970s, China has been the world’s second-largest exporter and the second-largest economy, and it prioritized the modernization of its economy above all else in its goals. As a result, it has steadily shifted away from relying only on exports.

China has attracted substantial foreign investment, developed new production capacities in sectors that meet local and global demand, and has completed the process of developing sectors by abandoning central planning in favour of a market economy, mobilizing its enormous human resources, and making massive investments to modernize industry and develop infrastructure. Economic progress in China from underdevelopment to competition with the world’s main economic powers was aided greatly by the Chinese economy’s experience from 1949 to the present day.

Chinese economic and technical advancement has accelerated rapidly, and it has maintained an annual growth rate that has been the world’s best for decades. Today, China is the world’s factory because of cheap labour and huge population, which has allowed the Chinese economy to flourish more than any other. On the other hand, there are many obstacles and problems that meet this tremendous experience of economic and social change.

Careful Planning of the Rise

Many phases have been marked by certain qualities that have helped the Chinese economy expand and thrive. In addition to attracting foreign capital and advanced technology, learning from other countries’ successful economic planning and management practices, encouraging state institutions to compete in global markets, and promoting internal reform and economic development, China has declared that opening up to the outside world is one of its primary policies.

In order to fulfil its aims, a 70-year development plan was devised, based on the realities of China. China’s progress during the past 70 years has been broken down into seven time periods. The roots of China’s new democracy and the stage of socialist reform were established during the first phase, which lasted from 1949 to 1957. This was a “first exploration of what it will be the Chinese economy formed later”.

The second stage began between 1958 and 1965, when China witnessed a shift towards constructing its economy. During this time, the greatest contradiction in Chinese society emerged: the enormous gap between people’s economic and cultural aspirations and what the state can produce.

However, the third and final phase, which lasted from 1966 to 1977, was known as the “Great Cultural Revolution phase,” and was characterized by huge economic losses and upheaval in China’s growth.

When it comes to China’s economic growth, the fourth stage, which began in 1978 and lasted until 1992, is the most significant and influential in the country’s history; four important things happened during this time period: economic transformation and development became the primary focus, rural economies began to undergo reform, special economic zones were established, and a Chinese model of development based on a planned commodity economy was achieved.

It was during this time, from 1992 to 2001, that China transitioned from a free market to a planned economy based on actual market requirements rather than abstract ideas.

From 2001 to 2012, the Chinese economy underwent a major transition as it joined the World Trade Organization and expanded its economic horizons. This was the most critical moment in China’s economic development.

Since 2012, China’s economy has entered a new age, where the focus is on establishing a high-quality economy and executing innovation-driven growth policies.

The Chinese progress during the previous seven decades was remarkable. As a result, “China’s economy has continued to grow in size and the nation has developed from a trailing country to the second strongest economy in the world.”

Chinese economic growth from 1960 has been close to Indian economic growth until approximately 1996, then saw a surge to ascend to Japanese economic levels and then passed over them to reach US economic levels.

The rapidity of economic expansion, making China the worldwide leader in economic growth, and becoming a driving element for sustainable development at the global level are also included among the accomplishments. Upgrading the industrial structure of the Chinese economy and aiming towards shared growth were also mentioned in the list of accomplishments.

No other country in the previous 70 years has made the qualitative jump that China did in upgrading its economy and moving from agriculture-related sectors to machine-dependent ones. Chinese economic openness and the injection of Chinese wealth overseas have made China a significant trade power, drawing and exporting international capital as well.

An Export Giant

China has experienced a surge in import and export, from the relative delay in the world to the first position in the world in export and the second in import. Chinese people’s quality of life has improved tremendously over the years, as the income of urban and rural inhabitants has grown greatly, the urbanization rate has climbed, and the poverty rate has fallen dramatically. As a result, China’s pace of human growth and technical advancement grew to the greatest levels in the world, as did the country’s number of researchers and developers.

China’s rapid economic growth has, on the other hand, boosted its worldwide stature and influence, as its role in global development and safeguarding of the international system grows stronger by the day.

China has been a pioneering development experience for more than four decades, moving from an economy based primarily on agriculture to the world’s factory and lifting approximately 700 million people out of poverty. It is now the world’s most populous country (1.38 billion people); the largest contributor to global growth, the largest exporter in the world, and it is the second largest economy, moving China from underdevelopment to parity with the world’s main economic powers.

For the third-world nations whose economic development plans are still faltering, the Chinese experience in growth has served as guidance and a model of development that could flourish independently and without isolation. The Chinese economy, however, is predicted to overtake the United States as the world’s largest economy in the following years and decades, despite several barriers and problems that may hamper its progress.

Published by International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies

About author:

Dr. Mohamad Zreik


Dr. Mohamad Zreik has PhD of International Relations, he is independent researcher, his area of research interest is related to Chinese Foreign Policy, Belt and Road Initiative, Middle Eastern Studies, China-Arab relations. Author has numerous studies published in high ranked journals and international newspapers.

“Beauty Ban”: Severe restrictions on women’s appearance and ability to travel

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“Beauty Ban”: Severe restrictions on women’s appearance and ability to travel

By Farangis Najibullah

In Turkmenistan, women are no longer allowed to wear “tight-fitting” clothes, dye their hair, or use beauty accessories such as false nails or eyelashes.

In a new, Taliban-style ban, traffic police in Turkmenistan also now prohibit male drivers of private vehicles from picking up women unless they are related. Females are also banned from sitting in the front seat next to the driver.

Still further bans have been made on women having cosmetic surgery, such as breast enhancement, lip fillers, or even eyebrow microblading, which is popular with many young women in Turkmenistan.

Dozens of women have reportedly lost their jobs in recent weeks for allegedly having had breast implants or lip fillers.

The informal restrictions in the tightly controlled Central Asian country came into force this month — shortly after new President Serdar Berdymukhammedov took office in a sham March 12 election in which he replaced his father.

In unprecedented raids in public places and offices, police have rounded up women wearing false eyelashes and/or nails and taken them to police stations, multiple eyewitnesses in the capital, Ashgabat, and other Turkmen cities tell RFE/RL.

According to one Ashgabat resident, the women were told to remove their beauty accessories and pay a fine of about $140. That is half of a monthly salary for the average Turkmen.

Officers also stop women on the streets and public transport to check if they have cosmetically enhanced their lips, a resident of Balkan Province said. “Police demand that women remove their face masks to check if they had used lip fillers,” the woman said on condition of anonymity.

In a further restriction of women’s rights, the government has banned male drivers of private cars from offering a ride to a woman who is not a family member. Traffic police stop private cars carrying female passengers and demand proof that the women are related to the driver.

In Balkan Province, several people told RFE/RL that women are no longer allowed to take the front seat next to drivers — both in taxis and private vehicles. It’s not clear if the same rule was introduced in other parts of Turkmenistan.

Drivers in Balkan Province can face a $2,000 fine if they have a woman in the front seat, even if she is a family member, one car owner said. After 8 p.m., drivers are not allowed to pick up a female passenger at all, whether a relative or stranger, he said.

In Turkmenistan, women — with few exceptions — are largely prohibited from driving, although the government has never publicly issued any formal ban on women being behind the wheel.

Instead, the authorities often use various methods — such as making it difficult for women to obtain a driver’s license or for them to renew their expired licenses — which effectively bans them from driving.

No Announcement

There was no official announcement or explanation for the latest restrictions, which are being enforced by local authorities and law-enforcement agencies across the country.

Office workers say officials and company managers have held special gatherings to discuss the new rules on women’s clothes, beauty routines, and appearances, but declined to explain the reason or present a copy of the document ordering the ban.

Similar restrictions were introduced in the past, although they have never been strictly enforced.

Authorities in the Muslim-majority country have always encouraged women to wear traditional clothes, shunning both Western-style outfits and the Islamic hijab.

A traditional outfit consists of an ankle-length, long-sleeved, embroidered dress, often made from a colorful fabric. Traditional headwear for girls is a colorful embroidered hat, while women often wear a kerchief tied behind their heads.

Traditional clothing serves as a women’s uniform in the workplace, at official meetings, and at public events.

Some women also still wear Western-style clothes, although it’s not common among Turkmen women to sport clothes that are deemed too revealing, such as miniskirts, shorts, sleeveless dresses, or tops with plunging necklines.

The new ban takes the restrictions a step further, outlawing jeans and any tightly fitting clothes. A woman from the city of Mary told RFE/RL on April 27 that police were deployed in the streets to detain women in jeans.

“Police take their photos, prepare a report, and make the women pay a fine,” the woman said on condition of anonymity. Similar incidents were reported in Ashgabat and the Lebap and Balkan provinces.

‘I Hereby Pledge’

Women working in the public sector have been ordered to obey the rule not only at work, but also everywhere else in public, several workers told RFE/RL.

The women were told to sign a written pledge that they will not wear tight clothes, dye their hair, microblade their eyebrows, or use Botox and false nails and eyelashes, among other numerous restrictions. They said the document includes a line that states, “If I embarrass my organization by not following these requirements — both at work and outside work — I agree that I should be dismissed from my job.”

Those who refused to sign were fired, a local RFE/RL correspondent reported, citing multiple eyewitnesses.

“Every morning, officials in government agencies check female employees’ clothes and appearance. If they find any shortcomings, they don’t allow women to enter the office and they send them home to correct the wrongdoing,” said an Ashgabat woman describing her own experience.

“Also, inspectors can turn up in the office at any time for more checks,” the woman said on May 2.

According to several sources in Ashgabat, at least 20 female flight attendants were dismissed in recent weeks over their alleged use of Botox and lip enhancement. And about 50 female employees of the national railway service were fired for having breast implants and lip fillers, the sources claimed.

RFE/RL contacted the relevant authorities — including the national airlines and rail services and various government agencies — for comment but received no response.

The bans have led dozens of beauty salons to close down across the country after getting warnings from police against offering “banned” procedures and services to customers.

RFE/RL correspondents reported that law enforcement agencies raided beauty salons in Mary Province in early April and threatened the owners with hefty fines and 15 days in jail if they broke the new rules.

Last Straw?

Protests and public criticism of government policies are extremely rare in Turkmenistan, where opponents often end up in prison or are forcibly placed in psychiatric hospitals.

But some activists and other Turkmen say the latest restrictions could be the last straw for people’s patience. Turkmen have been unhappy with decades of government clampdowns on their rights and freedoms, while the country has also been mired for several years in a severe financial crisis that has led to chronic food shortages and skyrocketing unemployment and inflation.

In Balkan Province, several women told RFE/RL that they had had enough and wouldn’t rule out mass anti-government protests. “The new president turned out to be a woman-hater,” one Balkan resident said. “There is no gender equality in Turkmenistan at all anymore.”

“Turkmen women are extremely unhappy with these restrictions,” said Dursoltan Tagaeva, a prominent Turkmen activist who lives in self-exile in Turkey. “Even those who didn’t support [opposition activists] are now becoming increasing vocal and have begun voicing their unhappiness with this situation,” she told RFE/RL on May 2.

In a rare incident in Ashgabat, two outraged women refused to pay a fine and started a loud argument with a police officer who stopped them over their false eyelashes on April 27, an eyewitness told RFE/RL.

“The women demanded the policeman show them a copy of the document that bans false eyelashes,” the witness said.

About the author:

Farangis Najibullah

Farangis Najibullah is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL who has reported on a wide range of topics from Central Asia, including the region’s ongoing struggle with the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact. She has extensively covered efforts by Central Asian states to repatriate their citizens who joined Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Published on Human Rights Without Frontieres- Please click here for further reading about women’s rights on HRWF website 

Of Energy and Dependencies in Europe

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Of Energy and Dependencies in Europe

By Leyla Mammadova

Climate change is all over the place across Europe and far beyond. Heatwaves have become more common in most parts of the world as a result of climate change, as have extreme rainfall occurrences, which in turn lead to flooding. Even if greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically decreased, global warming and associated changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and sea levels are expected to persist throughout the twenty-first century.

Currently, high temperatures, flooding, water shortages, and wildfires are all becoming more common in European cities than ever before. The actual hazards are determined by the city’s or town’s geography and unique features. When compared to other regions, closed areas and densities of humans and assets in urbanized areas enhance hazards from climate and weather events. The situation in Europe particularly tends to become more severe year by year: land and sea temperatures are rocketing high; rainfall trends are dramatically changing; sea levels are increasing; and the heat waves becoming a major challenge (Climate Adapt, 2021).

Put differently, nearly all regions of Europe reached the frontline with the climate change phenomenon. With Europe being heavily urbanized continent and the 75% of the European population residing in cities, the detrimental impact of the climate change seems to be inevitable and indeed will come at a high expense. Urban sprawl leads to excessive energy, land, water, and air consumption, which makes the destiny of European cities the very bone of contention.

As a result of the high concentration of people, economic activity, investments, and vital infrastructure in cities, they are more vulnerable to climate change than rural areas. Furthermore, the substitution of artificial surfaces and buildings for natural vegetation modifies temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation patterns. By trapping heat and causing the so-called “urban heat-island effect,” impermeable surfaces restrict extreme amounts of rainfall from draining through into earth, start increasing in cities different from the surrounding area.

In the past few years, scientists have given growing dire warnings about the prospect of elevated global warming (possibly a 48°C rise in global average surface temperatures beyond pre-industrial norms by the 2060s or 2070s), which would test societies’ adaptive capabilities to the breaking point (Carter, 2011).

Instances of urban climate change adaptation techniques are beginning to appear in related to policy solutions. These are frequently incorporated into larger climate change and green innovation that include, and in some cases, are primarily focused on, climate change mitigation. It is important to note that the cities or the ‘urban-level politicians’, should be regarded on the same level along with other political actors that are to contribute to the climate change mitigation. Precisely, nearly 70% of total energy consumption stem from the cities, and since there is a rapid process of urbanization going on in the world, the number is expected to grow over time.

The way urban areas are planned and developed as well as they respond to the ongoing climate crisis play a crucial role in Co2 emissions and the energy use, which in turn, affect the climate change phenomenon at large. (University of Bergen, 2020) According to the member of IFIMES Advisory Board, Younger (2022), the architects and urban planners are now expected to put extra efforts in adapting to climate change mitigation and renewable energy usage since the coming 30+ years ahead are to witness even higher level of urbanization.

Climate change policies that are ‘integrated’ entail those developed for cities such as Madrid, Copenhagen, and Rotterdam. Moreover, planning and zoning restrictions in Stuttgart, Germany, for instance, aim to protect open space and promote the presence of plants in intensively built-up regions. This is to improve air flow and hence reduce overheating and pollution issues. A Building and Construction Law of 2002 in Basel, Switzerland, mandates that all new and refurbished flat roofs be greened. As a result, Basel has surpassed London as the world’s leading green roof metropolis in terms of green roof area per capita. The Biotope Area Factor law in Berlin, Germany, mandates that a certain percentage of major innovations be kept as green or accessible land (Carter, 2011).

It’s becoming clear that European cities are playing an increasingly important role in climate and energy governance. Cities themselves are well aware of this new governance role. Inter-city networks are being mobilized by city governments to explore remedies to energy and climate concerns (e.g. C40, Energy Cities). The European Union’s multi-level governance has created new administration areas for cities throughout Europe. Inter-city networks appear to be crucial in terms of the ideas that planners and policymakers are pursuing on a domestic level. The actions initiated by the EU and its Member States show the extent to which the situation is pressing, and the need to expand the efforts beyond EU’s capabilities (Carbon Brief, 2020).

All in all, to tackle the issue and to address it in a reasonable way, the collective action must be taken by all means possible. The 21st century and the late COVID-19 crisis have shown that it is no helpful to rely solely on political actors or single stakeholders, but rather to take the situation in own hands and take the necessary measures as soon as possible. In other words, it appears that the European community must not only rely on the government’s ability to implement its coercive power in the climate-related policymaking, but rather start working on the footprint in line with the Paris Agreement and call for the collective ‘green’ action. To help cities maintain an urban life in a ‘greener; and more sustainable way, the united efforts of both the people and the government should be put into force. We no longer have time to waste; it is time to press the alarm button and take the action.

About the Author:

Leyla Mammadova

Leyla Mammadova of the University Leuven, Belgium (Leuven International and European Studies (LINES)) is a researcher specialized in international humanitarian law, demography and the EU Institutions.

Bibliography:

  1. Carbon Brief (2020). Retrieved from:https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-are-european-cities-delivering-on-their-climate-commitments)
  2. Carter, J. G. (2011). Climate change adaptation in European cities. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, (May). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.12.015
  3. Climate Adapt (2021). Retrieved from: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/knowledge/tools/urban-ast/step-0-2
  4. EURACTIV (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/european-cities-must-adapt-to-climate-change-eu-climate-chief-says/
  5. IFIMES (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.ifimes.org/en/researches/ifimes-ii-population-and-pollution-and-urbanisation/4991?page=2
  6. Kumar, P. (2021). Climate Change and Cities: Challenges Ahead. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 3(February), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2021.645613
  7. Rice Kinder Institute for Urban Research (2019) Retrieved from: https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2019/09/03/how-climate-change-going-change-cities-urban-spaces
  8. University of Bergen (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.uib.no/en/cet/126450/european-cities-actors-climate-and-energy-transformation

Rwanda has the highest representation of women in parliament in the world. What factors have led to this feat?

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Rwanda has the highest representation of women in parliament in the world. What factors have led to this feat?

By H.E. Mr. Oliver Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, non-resident Ambassador to the Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Gender equality has been one of the central pillars of our country’s reconstruction in the 28 years since the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi. Before 1994, Rwanda was rife with social injustice, economic inequalities, and elitism. The ruling elite underinvested in crucial fields such as education, health and women empowerment. Most women were confined to being mothers and working in the field.

It was clear, therefore, for our new government, that to foster reconciliation, unity, and peace, and lay the foundations for a Rwanda for all Rwandans, women and girls needed to participate equally in all the spheres of the country life. It is within such context that, the government set out to build a political system that represented and benefitted every single Rwandan.

Equality, therefore, became a fundamental principle for our national reconstruction. Just after the genocide, many men had been killed and other had fled the country. A large part of our population was female – what form of equality and unity could we achieve without ensuring that women were at the forefront of this reconstruction?

President Kagame once said that “empowering women is not a favour, it’s a responsibility.”

This ethos has been embedded throughout our society since 1994. This is why we have consistently achieved high levels of female representation, because there is a widespread recognition that without getting the best out of all our citizens – including our women – we cannot achieve the high ambitions we have set for ourselves.

How has Rwanda benefitted from this commitment to Women’s representation?

I think there is a natural temptation to connect the high number of women in leadership positions to Rwanda’s lasting peace over the last 28 years, and to talk about how distinctly ‘female’ qualities play a part in this. Though there may be some truth in this, I think what should instead be emphasised is that this commitment has ensured that we have represented the whole of Rwanda in our leadership – that everyone’s voice is spoken for, and that equality is at the heart of our governance.

In an ideal world, we would not have to specifically promote women’s representation. Over half our population is female, and so it is only right that they are represented in kind in parliament. Of course, as with most countries all over the world, deliberate efforts must be made to overcome embedded patriarchal notions and ensure that this proportion is reflected in our leaders.

By making these efforts, we have ensured that at all levels, the leadership of our country is representative of the population. This is a truly democratic system of governing, which values equality above all else – this spirit, I believe, has guided our national reconstruction over the last 28 years.

Has this prioritisation of Women’s representation in politics translated to the rest of society?

Women’s leadership and representation at the highest level is essential to set an example for the rest of our institutions throughout the country – whether in the private or public sector. Real societal change, and equal opportunity and treatment for women at all levels is obviously at the very heart of all our policymaking. Of course, achieving widespread social change given embedded historic social practices – as with most other countries, a traditional patriarchal system was predominant in Rwanda for most of our history – represents a challenge.

Identifying, understanding, and addressing these challenges head-on is the best way of dealing with them. The policies that we have introduced in recent years – including the National Gender Policy recently revised to cover the remaining gap in women’s meaningful participation and representation in leadership and decision-making positions in public and private sector as well as CSOs at all levels. The same policy stresses also on the role of men and boys in promoting gender equality promotion and women’s empowerment. In addition, Girls’ Education Policy of 2008 (under revision) among other policies in place, have contributed to address girls’ issues throughout educational levels.

At the heart of our vision for development is a drive for relentless improvement. This is what we are seeking here – that every single Rwandan has identical opportunities and treatment in any area they choose, regardless of any pre-existing factor: be it gender, ethnicity, disability, or anything else.

What lessons can the rest of the world learn from Rwanda’s approach?

I think the most important thing is to really recognise the value of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment – it is not just a box-ticking exercise, it is a key to unlock the full potential of any society, organisation, or indeed country. It must, therefore, be an absolute priority, and should be hard-wired in all government policies.

Another thing I would say is that setting concrete legislative requirements and targets does make a real difference. In Rwanda, for instance, our constitution mandates that at least 30% of decisions making positions be occupied by women. In practice, we have far outperformed that baseline in a number of  sectors; for instance the number currently stands at 63% in the parliament. . Yet these baselines, these legal requirements, are important mechanisms to ensure that when it comes to issues of equality, countries walk the walk, rather than just talking the talk.

Above all, however, it comes down to a commitment and to a shared vision for the future. Throughout our country, we have embedded the principles of gender equality – from the education system upwards – and it is a shared value that ensures our policies are successful.

Azerbaijan Celebrates 104 Years Democratic and Secular Statehood

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Azerbaijan Celebrates 104 Years Democratic and Secular Statehood

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Netherlands H.E. Mr Fikrat Akhundov and  Mrs Vusala Akhundova, hosted a reception on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The celebration was at the embassy on Friday,  28 May 2022, was well attended and featured many ambassadors, Algeria, Argentina, Costa Rica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Philipinnes, South Africa, and the deputy DG.OPCW, diplomats from Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and others. Further, an Azerbaijani dance group performed National Dances adding to the festive atmosphere.

Ambassador Akhundov welcome OPCW Deputy Director General, Odette Melono, https://www.opcw.org/about/ts/leadership/deputy-director-general
H.E. Mr Fikrat Akhundov and the Director General of the International Commission on Missing Persons, Ms Kathryne Bomberger.

This year Azerbaijan and the Netherlands celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. For 30 years, Azerbaijan and the Netherlands built their relations on mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, Azerbaijan believes that these relations will further grow and contribute to the prosperity of the two nations.

Ambassador Fikrat Akhundov’s welcome speech walked his guests through the history and independence proclamation to the present day. Indeed, the Ambassador spoke on a range of fascinating topics. This is what he stated.

“Today is a significant day in the history of Azerbaijan. 104 years ago, on May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic declared its independence and thus became the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim East.

Proclaimed during complex geo-political times, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic has left a significant mark on the rich history of the statehood of Azerbaijan. In the short period of its existence, the first Parliament and Government were established. Different ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan were elected to the first Parliament, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, and gained the right to express their views openly.

All citizens of the country – regardless their gender – were given the same rights based on the principles of equality. For the first time in the Eastern world, women’s suffrage was granted in 1918 in Azerbaijan. The young Republic of Azerbaijan has defined its state borders, state symbols, established the first diplomatic relations with foreign countries. 16 foreign countries, as Great Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Iran, USA, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have opened representations in Azerbaijan. When Azerbaijan declared its independence, the territory of Azerbaijan was 114 km2 and the population was 3.3 million.

However, two years later, as a result of geo-political processes in the region, Azerbaijan lost its state independence in April 1920 and became part of the USSR until 1991. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan was able to preserve its cultural heritage, traditions and ancient history.

Only 71 years later, on October 18, 1991, Azerbaijan regained its independence, but the country’s territory was no longer 114 km, but only 86.6 km2. In addition, since the early days of its independence, Azerbaijan has faced new territorial claims and aggression. Thus, in 1991-1993, nearly 20% of the historical territory of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region and East Zangazur, was occupied by Armenia. About 1 million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their homeland, some were taken hostage or went missing, the ancient monuments, mosques and other historical buildings belonging to Azerbaijanis were destroyed, natural resources were illegally exploited. Finally, in November 2020, Azerbaijan restored justice and liberated its historical territories from occupation.

At present, the main goal of Azerbaijan Government is demining and restoration the liberated territories and the return of IDPs to their homelands after 30 years. Azerbaijan has declared Karabakh and East Zangazur a “green energy” zone. Many Western and Asian companies have already begun to take part in these projects.

New transport, logistics, eco-tourism, smart cities and smart villages projects have been launched in the region. The goal is to transform the region fully into a green energy zone by 2050, as well as reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent.

From ancient times Azerbaijan has been the bridge between East and West, North and South. This tendency has not changed for modern Azerbaijan. Due to this geographical position Azerbaijan became a principal transportation hub. Azerbaijan has built one of the biggest ports at the Caspian Sea and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway route has been realized.

After the restoration of its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has participated in many regional projects, cooperating on the international stage with the EU, OSCE, NATO, OIC and became the reliable partner for both West and global South. Azerbaijan has been elected to the positions at different international organizations. Namely, Azerbaijan has been the non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2012-2013 and has been chairing Non-alignment movement since 2018.

In the framework of the partnership with NATO, for instance, Azerbaijan peacekeepers helped with the evacuation at Kabul airport in Afghanistan.

H.E. Ms. Ksenija Milenkovic, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia at her arrival at the Azerbaijan commemoration of the 104 Anniversary.
Ambassador Akhundov welcome the Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa.
Welcoming the Ambassador of Peru, H.E. Ms. Marisol Aguero Colunga.

In its global efforts to fight COVID-19 and expressing its solidarity with states affected by the virus, the Government of Azerbaijan has donated 10 million US dollars to World Health Organization, 5 million of which was to support the most affected NAM countries.

Azerbaijan is strategic partner of EU in ensuring energy security of the region. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the natural gas projects TANAP and TAP were launched for this purpose. TAP (transadriatic pipeline) in particular plays a key role in the EU’s strategic goal of energy security. Currently, in connection with the crisis in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian aid worth 15 million euros and continues its efforts.

Azerbaijan or the Land of Fire is recognized in the world for its ancient history, culture, national folklore, carpet weaving, cuisine and for its famous Karabakh horses. The newly liberated city of Shusha, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, that celebrates its 270th anniversary this year, has been declared the cultural capital of Turkic world for 2023 by The International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY).

H.E. Ms Marisol Aguero Colunga, Ambassador of the Republic of Peru, Mrs. Beatriz Piza, spouse of the Costa Rican Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Arnoldo Brenes Castro, Ambassador of Costa Rica and H.E. Mr. Fikrat Akhundov, the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The capital of Azerbaijan – Baku city has hosted many international sporting competitions and cultural events. This year, in 2 weeks Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand prix will again take place in Baku. Baku circuit has become one of the most excited and challenging races for Formula 1 pilots and fans since 2017.

It should be also noted this year marks the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijani-Dutch diplomatic relations. For the last 30 years the relations between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands had a trajectory of development in different spheres, from agriculture to logistics, from education to tourism, culture and so on. About 50 Dutch companies work in Azerbaijan in different fields. Also Azerbaijan companies cooperate closely with Dutch companies in the Netherlands.

Today we present to you the products of Anna Dutch Company, which produces caviar of the sturgeon from Caspian Sea in the Netherlands. I would like to thank the company for its contribution to this event. Azerbaijan and the Netherlands has a huge potential in the bilateral relations and we hope it will further deepen in the future.

Dear friends, distinguished guests, I am grateful to you for being here today with us and celebrating the 104th anniversary of the Independence of Azerbaijan” end quote.

The festive event concluded with a reception and a galore of caviar, courtesy of Anna Dutch B.V.

Happy Independence Day Azerbaijan!

Dr Nicholas O’Brien reinforces dialogue with Bundesrat President Ramelow

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Dr Nicholas O’Brien reinforces dialogue with Bundesrat President Ramelow

Wednesday, 1 June 2022, Erfurt, Free State of Thuringia, Germany: The Premier of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow, President pro tempore of the German Federal Council (Bundesrat) received the Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland, Dr. Nicholas O’Brien, in the Thuringian State Chancellery for his inaugural visit.

The purpose of the bilateral meeting was to become acquainted to each other as well as to exchange views on economic, political and cultural cooperation between Ireland and the Federal State of Thuringia. Dr Nicholas O’Brien has been accredited to the German Federation since 11 September 2019.

“Thuringia is the green heart of Germany. The heart is also reflected in the symbol of Thuringia’s 2022 Federal Council Presidency – mirrored from two twos” said Premier Bodo Ramelow as he presented the symbol of the Federal Council Presidency to the Ambassador of Ireland, Dr. Nicholas O’Brien, during his visit to the Thuringian State Chancellery.

This year Erfurt will be the official centre of celebrations for the German Unification Day. 

For further information
Government of the Free State of Thuringia: https://www.staatskanzlei-thueringen.de/medienservice/veranstaltungsberichte/detailseite/default-4565895049
https://www.staatskanzlei-thueringen.de/medienservice/veranstaltungsberichte/detailseite/gruesse-aus-irland

L’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux remporte la première édition du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale

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L’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux remporte la première édition du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale

Aujourd’hui, le 3 juin 2022, l’Ecole de Formation professionnelle des Barreaux du ressort de la Cour d’appel de Paris – EFB (France) a remporté la finale de la première édition de la version française du concours de procès fictif de la Cour pénale internationale (CPI), qui a eu lieu dans la salle d’audience II de la CPI à La Haye (Pays-Bas). Le jury était composé de M. le juge de la CPI Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, juge président, Mme la juge de la CPI Reine Alapini-Gansou, et de la juriste de la CPI Adelaide Figueiras.

L’Ecole de formation professionnelle des avocats du Nord-Ouest – IXAD (France) a remporté la deuxième place. Le prix du « Meilleur orateur » a été décerné à Manon Lanselle de l’Ecole de formation professionnelle des avocats du Nord-Ouest – IXAD.

L’équipe lauréate était composée de Gabriel Sebbah, Raphaël Biais, Sophie Lejeune et Léa Darves-Bornoz. Les équipes se sont affrontées dans une affaire fictive et ont présenté leurs arguments dans les rôles du Bureau du Procureur et de la Défense, qui ont été diffusés en direct sur le site Internet de la Cour ainsi que sur son compte Facebook.

Cette première édition du concours de procès fictif en langue française est organisée par l’Académie de droit international de La Haye, avec le soutien de l’Ambassade de France aux Pays-Bas. 40 étudiants de 10 universités de 5 pays ont participé à l’étape préliminaire de cette édition en français du concours procès fictif de la CPI.

Dans le cadre du programme qu’elle consacre aux milieux universitaires, la CPI soutient l’organisation de concours de procès fictifs en anglais, en chinois, en espagnol, en russe et en français, et envisage d’en soutenir également l’organisation d’une version en arabe à l’avenir. Ces initiatives jouent un rôle fondamental pour susciter dans les milieux universitaires de l’intérêt pour le travail de la Cour et pour mieux faire connaître et respecter le droit international pénal.

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