Nomads of the world

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Nomads of the world

By Alexandra Paucescu

Diplomats all over the world embrace, together with their families, a nomadic lifestyle which is neither easy nor comfortable for most. The stress of moving, the constant uncertainty about the near future and all that comes with it, are factors which strongly shape their personality and meanwhile make them more resilient and enterprising.

For Amel Derragui, having lived in eight countries only laid the groundwork for her strong and complex personality today and her successful business.

Originally from Algeria, born in India into a diplomatic family and becoming Austrian by marriage, Amel lived her whole life ‘on the move’.

After she studied in France and got her MBA in US, she worked in sales and then built most of her career in the advertising industry in France.

And then, as in a blockbuster love story, she found her love, while visiting her parents, who were posted in Iran at the time.

She remembers: ‘the first night they took me to a dinner invitation at the Turkish residence. There, I met a very nice gentleman… Six months later we were engaged. A year later, I quit my job, we got married and moved to Iran.’

As she is a very intelligent, determined and strong minded woman, she figured out right from the start that she was not going to be able to continue her former career, while moving constantly with her husband. So she started looking for an alternative, which was to start her own business, as a consultant in marketing and communications.

Amel Derragui, Photo credit Nicoletta Sarzosa – Trilogy Creatives

‘I am very passionate about topics related to innovative businesses and social entrepreneurship. In fact, I strongly believe that it is possible to make profits while solving problems and making our world a better place’, she says. ‘While doing that I have stumbled upon a few issues and challenges. The first one was the loneliness. I really struggled to find other entrepreneurs like me who had to build their businesses in a foreign country. I realized that although having a business was a great solution to my career challenges on the move, it was still a challenge if my business was not portable. I felt lonely in this journey because even the great mentors that tried to help me to grow as an entrepreneur were not able to guide me as they have built their successful businesses while living a pretty settled life, in one place’.

All the gained expertise and experience helped Amel find a different kind of business and she founded a beautiful community, Tandem Nomads.

She tells me proudly; ‘Once I got to learn how to make my business truly portable and discovered so many great tools and ways to do it, I really felt like I wanted to share that with other diplomatic and expat spouses. I saw so many smart women around me who felt completely desperate, sometimes depressed as they had lost confidence and their sense of identity. I saw so many couples separating and unhappy marriages due to the resentment these spouses had developed over the years, because they had to give up their own careers. Even sadder, I saw a lot of spouses stuck in a relationship where they were not happy, just because they could not be financially independent. So, I wanted to help and share the message that it was possible to create a business aligned with our lifestyle.’

She confesses that at first she wasn’t sure how to get her message heard by as many people as possible, but one day she discovered the world of podcasts and that’s how she came up with the idea to start one. In November 2015, she launched Tandem Nomads podcast, sharing weekly inspiration about how to build a sustainable portable career on the move, thanks to entrepreneurship.

Ever since then, her Tandem Nomads community has grown constantly and that’s what made her decide to focus on developing online courses and coaching services, reaching global entrepreneurs all over the world.

She loves her job and she confesses that ‘it has been an amazingly rewarding journey and a great path to self-growth and personal development. I really see how much I’ve grown as a person and as a human being. One thing that makes me very happy is every time I see a client who has reached a milestone and has grown, when I receive messages like “Oh my God, this feels amazing! I just moved to a completely new country and do all the things that this new transition requires, but there’s one thing that did not change and that is my business, which allows me to continue doing what I love without having to start again from scratch. It feels so liberating!” This is exactly why I started Tandem Nomads.’

Amel Derragui, Photo credit Nicoletta Sarzosa – Trilogy Creatives

She then sincerely continues: ‘I would have not been able to do all that without creating my own support system. My biggest supporter has always been my husband, who has been there every step of the way. As much as I love being the diplomatic spouse and supporting wife, I love that I can also count on him when I need help. My husband and I share our journey learning how to support each other in this podcast episode: www.tandemnoamds.com/193’.

She also recognizes that the diplomatic community offers a close network and support to settle in and still feel at home. ‘It’s just like a family, I meet diplomats that I don’t even know, yet it still feels familiar because we immediately know what it is to live this lifestyle and we are all also aware of the challenges. So, most people are often willing to support and encourage newcomers – this is something I really love. But I must also share one thing that I’ve struggled with, in the diplomatic community. It is when we actually all get together, especially spouses of diplomats, and the first thing we do is introduce ourselves through the position of our husbands. I might be too much of a feminist, but this is something that really bothers me. I feel that it’s a huge honor and privilege to represent our countries and also build bridges between different cultures. But for me, the position of my husband or the country that we represent is not the number one thing that defines me. When for example I lived in Iran, I was always introduced either as my father’s daughter or the spouse of my husband, but my own name was rarely mentioned in networking events or receptions. This is something that I really fought hard to change. Slowly, people started being interested in me as the person and not just the title. I really encourage everybody to make sure that they don’t just become a label of their position!’

You can sense from her words that she is a fighter, a determined woman who will not take ‘NO’ for an answer when it comes to things that really matter to her and to her expat community. She intends to help and support those in similar situations to hers, and also to lobby and advocate for their cause.

‘Another issue that I think we need to urgently tackle is the legal restrictions that prevent diplomatic spouses from working or having their business, in many countries. These legislations do not fit to our current world anymore. There is still a lot of work to do in this direction!’

Over the years, she spoke at various international organizations such as the IMF and Foreign Affairs Ministries of various countries, providing guidance on how to use entrepreneurship as a solution to dual career challenges and how to make a business truly portable. Her work on the topic of entrepreneurship and women empowerment has been featured in various media such as Forbes Magazine and Global Living Magazine.

She transformed her life-time motto, ‘turn your challenges into opportunities’ into a lifestyle and she now successfully teaches others how to do it.

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Author of “Just a Diplomatic Spouse” Romanian, management graduate with a Master in business, cultural diplomacy and international relations studies.

She speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian,  gives lectures on intercultural communication and is an active NGO volunteer.

Eurojust supports over 10 000 cases for first time in history

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Eurojust supports over 10 000 cases for first time in history

Eurojust supported 10 105 cross-border criminal investigations in 2021, reaching the highest number of cases since starting operations twenty years ago. This milestone of over 10 000 cases is an increase of almost 50 times compared to 2002. Despite continued pandemic restrictions throughout last year, Eurojust’s casework load rose by 15% compared to 2020.

Eurojust participated in over 1 400 large-scale operations and sent nearly 2 000 rapid responses to judicial cooperation requests. As a result, EUR 7 billion of drugs were seized, EUR 2.8 billion of criminal assets were frozen, and 3 329 suspects were arrested or surrendered. Without the Agency’s involvement these results would not have be attained.

These are the main highlights of Eurojust’s Annual Report 2021, published today. Commenting on the occasion, Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran stated: ‘The level of judicial cooperation that we have helped to establish in the past two decades is unique in the world, and our Agency is widely acknowledged in Europe. We will continue to focus our attention on further digitalising the way European prosecutors and judges work together across borders. At the same time, we will keep strengthening and expanding our cooperation with third countries, making sure that the fight against organised crime and terrorism evolves from a regional to a global effort.’

Mr Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice said: ‘This year marks the 20th anniversary of Eurojust and in parallel we were able to negotiate the biggest budget in its history – 350 million euro for the next seven years. We have come a long way from an organisation that began as a small meeting of prosecutors around a table in Brussels to what we see in practice today. There will always be a need for the outstanding service Eurojust does for the safety of Europe and I look forward to seeing what will be achieved in the year to come.’

Working together via Eurojust, national judicial authorities achieved on-the-ground results across a wide range of crime areas in 2021, helping to deliver justice to almost 100 000 victims. To make this possible, the Agency supported Member States in the organisation of 457 coordination meetings, 22 action days, and provided operational and financial support to 254 joint investigation teams.

The largest number of cases concerned swindling, money laundering, drug trafficking, and cybercrime. Of all cases Eurojust registered last year, 81% covered crime areas considered as a priority by EMPACT (the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats – an initiative driven by Member States and supported by the Commission and Council, to identify and address threats posed by organised and serious international crime).

Throughout 2021, Eurojust continued to handle various cases related to the pandemic, such as sales of fictitious personal protective equipment. The Agency adapted to the crisis by introducing new secure online conferencing tools and adjusting its premises to accommodate hybrid meetings. It also laid down foundations for several projects last year to support the Commission’s digitalisation of justice initiative in which Eurojust will play a major role.

Eurojust’s successful results in 2021 are largely thanks to the excellent collaboration with its EU partners and fellow Justice and Home Affairs Agencies. This cooperation includes the newly operational European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Luxembourg, with whom a Working Agreement was signed, to start  work on fighting crimes against the EU’s budget. Moreover, in 2021, Eurojust became actively connected to over sixty jurisdictions worldwide thanks to its new Contact Points in Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and the Republic of Maldives.

Major Eurojust cases in 2021:

·       Criminal networks’ encrypted communications tool, Sky ECC, blocked: Investigators monitored the criminal use of the Sky ECC communication service tool, generating invaluable insights into hundreds of millions of messages exchanged between criminals, resulting in the collection of crucial information on over a hundred planned large-scale criminal operations, preventing potential life-threatening situations and possible victims. Eurojust supported a joint investigation team of the French, Belgian and Dutch authorities into this case.

·       World’s most dangerous malware, EMOTET, disrupted: A dangerous and resilient malware created a large botnet that was offered for hire to cybercriminals to install other types of malware onto victims’ computers. The infected machines of victims were redirected towards a law enforcement-controlled infrastructure.

·       Migrant smuggling with luxury vehicles in Greece halted with Eurojust support: An organised crime group transported around 350 irregular migrants within Greece, during 56 transfers. 11 suspects were arrested and 29 vehicles were seized, together with computer and GPS equipment, mobile phones, financial documents, cash and a mining tool for bitcoins.

·       Online investment swindle defrauding victims for around EUR 30 million stopped: An organised crime group defrauded thousands of victims all over Europe through four different online investment scams, resulting in the arrest of six suspects and the seizure of properties, luxury cars and bank accounts.

·       Syrian official sentenced to life for crimes against humanity with support of joint investigation team assisted by Eurojust: Building on the work of a joint investigation team supported by Eurojust last year and previously, in a landmark judgement in January 2022, the German Higher Regional Court of Koblenz sentenced a former high-ranking Syrian official to life imprisonment for his involvement in crimes against humanity. This followed the sentencing of his associate by the same court in 2021. 

Thai Gastrodiplomacy

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Thai Gastrodiplomacy

By Roy Lie Atjam

The Royal Thai Embassy in the Netherlands will be hosting a series of Thai Food Promotions for the purpose of taking Thai food to higher heights.

The phenomenon of Thai Gastrodiplomacy is still very much alive. In 2001 the government of Thailand established the  “Global Thai Restaurant Company Ltd.” aiming at establishing thousands of Thai restaurants worldwide. The government hoped the company would be like McDonald’s. Chefs were trained and posted around the globe to promote the Thai gastrodiplomacy scheme.

The testing of Royal Thai cuisine was presented by the Thai chefs to their Dutch colleagues, Chef, Sous-Chef & the F&B Managers, as they are responsible for the service during the Food Festival. All working together in preparation of the Flavours Thai Festival at Leonardo Royal Hotel in The Hague and in Amsterdam. The spouse of the Ambassador of Thailand, Mrs. Nataya Archjananun, giving a brief insight into the exquisite Royal Thai Cuisine and its preparation. H.E. Ambassador Chatri Archjananun, also actively participated of the culinary activity. Photography August Zeidman.

Before the Thai Food Festival at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in The Hague and Amsterdam in April 2022, the Royal Thai Embassy invited chefs and staffers of the Leonardo Royal Hotel to participate in a workshop so as to get firsthand information on the peculiarities of  Thai cuisine. It was also an opportunity to meet their Thai counterparts with whom they will be working closely during the upcoming food festival.

The workshop took place under the acumen supervision of the spouse of the Ambassador of Thailand, Mrs. Nataya. She gave a brief insight into the exquisite Thai cuisine, notably the Thai Royal Cuisine and its preparation.

Thai Food Festival at Leonardo Royal Hotel, 222 & 23 in The Hague / 29 & 30 in Amsterdam. Photography August Zeidman.

By all means, the Thai Food Festival will offer a Premium 3-course menu. To get a glimpse of the mouthwatering menu: Appetizers, steamed bird dumpling, spicy papaya salad. Main courses, beef green curry, prawn in tamarind sauce, fried fish cake and a spicy chicken soup. Desserts, sweet layer cake, coconut macaron, sweet sticky rice with coconut topping

A pleasurable, relaxed atmosphere of camaraderie reigned at the workshop. In conclusion, all participants expressed their satisfaction with the presentation. The chefs envisage meeting again before the food festival.

Royal Thai cuisine at Flavours Food Festival, Leonardo Royal Hotel The Hague & Amsterdam.

Thai Food Festival, 22 & 23 April from 18:00 Leonardo Royal Hotel in The HaguE

Thai Food Festival 29 & 30 April from 18:00 Leonardo Royal Hotel in Amsterdam

Royal Thai at Flavours Festival, at Leonardo’s The Hague & Amsterdam. Photography August Zeidman.

ICC Prosecutor about advancing investigation on the Rohingyas

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ICC Prosecutor about advancing investigation on the Rohingyas

ICC Prosecutor, Karim A. A. Khan QC, concludes first visit to Bangladesh, underlines commitment to advance investigations into alleged atrocity crimes against the Rohingya

On Sunday, 27 February 2022, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Mr Karim A. A. Khan QC, concluded a five-day visit to Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.  This represented the first visit by the Prosecutor of the Court to Bangladesh.

During the visit, Prosecutor Khan emphasised that the investigation being conducted by his Office into crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction allegedly committed against the Rohingya from Myanmar would be a priority during his tenure.  He confirmed to all stakeholders that he had allocated additional resources to the investigative team and was seeking to accelerate the collection and analysis of evidence, which had previously been impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Prosecutor Khan delivered this message directly to survivors and affected communities during his visit to Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, home to hundreds of thousands of members of the Rohingya community who have fled violence in Myanmar.  In meetings with Rohingya women and youth activists, Prosecutor Khan discussed how his Office can further empower them to contribute to the investigation. During a meeting with local Imams and other religious leaders, the Prosecutor also addressed ways that Rohingya leaders can support victims of sexual and gender-based violence to come forward with their accounts in the context of the Office’s ongoing investigations. 

“We are here to work with you to build the foundations of justice.  The road to accountability will not be simple, but it is a goal we can only achieve by working together, as a partnership between us”, stated the Prosecutor.

During the course of the visit, Prosecutor Khan also held several productive meetings with officials of the Government of Bangladesh, and engaged with diplomatic corps and representatives of civil society organisations in Dhaka. Meetings were held with their Excellencies, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Anisul Huq; State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Abdul Momen; Foreign Secretary, Mr Masud Bin Momen, and Secretary for Maritime Affairs, Rear Admiral (retd.) Khurshed Alam.

In his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Prosecutor recognised the crucial role that Bangladesh had played in providing refuge to the Rohingya as they fled Myanmar in 2017.   “That decision represented a moment of true empathy and courage.  It also demonstrated the understanding among the Bangladeshi people of the impact of atrocity crimes, based on their own lived experience. This approach of courageous solidarity continues to be reflected in the assistance provided by Bangladesh to our work in pursuit of justice for the Rohingya community”, stated the Prosecutor.

The Prosecutor expressed his sincere appreciation to the authorities of Bangladesh for facilitating his visit.  He also expressed his gratitude to the non-governmental organisations and United Nations partners that had supported his direct engagement with survivors and affected communities in Cox’s Bazar.

The Prosecutor held a press conference in Dhaka at the conclusion of his mission to Bangladesh, fielding questions from local and international media present. During the press conference, the Prosecutor announced his intention to undertake additional visits to Bangladesh in order to further support and advance the work of his Office in relation to this investigation.

International Mother Language Day 2022

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International Mother Language Day 2022

By Roy Lie Atjam

“Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage”

The Hague, 21 February 2022. The Embassy of the Republic of Bangladesh in the Netherlands and Leiden University (Humanities) presented a creative observance of  International Mother Language Day, 2022. The venue was The Hague campus of the university.

International Mother Language Day, each year on 21 February  United Nations member states observe International Mother Language Day. Bangladesh championed the  “Idea” to celebrate 21 February as the International Mother Language Day, the history of her people’s movement to uphold Mother Language Day(1952). In 1999,UNESCO General Conference proclaimed International Mother Language Day, followed by  endorsement by the UN.

General Assembly(2000) International Mother Language day, its history, it all started in 1952 when students demonstrated in recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of then East Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Interesting to note that the Honourable Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister of Bangladesh vows to continue efforts to proliferate Bangla language, culture. The Prime Minister continued, “the government is actively engaging in efforts to further elevate the status of the Bangla language and Bengali culture in the international sphere.”

Highlighting the commemoration of Feb 21 as International Mother Language Day, Sheikh Hasina added, “this is something to which we all need to pay special attention. February  21 is not just for us. We must strive to honour those who loved their mother tongue and sacrificed their lives for it while finding and preserving any lost mother tongues.”

On the program of the creative observance: art, music, songs and poems.

Prof. Dr. Giles Scott- Smith, Chair International Studies, University of Leiden delivered the welcome remarks.

Screening of a video file on International Mother Language Day.

Video screening: Launching of a book of 50 short stories from Bangladeshi authors ‘When the Mango Tree Blossomed’. 

The following speakers joined via video conference from Bangladesh: Niaz Zaman, Farah Ghuznavi and Noora Shamsi Bahar.

Niaz Zaman, who retired from the University of Dhaka, is at present Advisor, Department of English and Modern Languages, Independent University, Bangladesh. Her significant publications are The Art of Kantha Embroidery and the award-winning A Divided Legacy: The Partition in Selected Novels of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the first book-length study on the subject. She is also a creative writer.  Her story, “The Dance,” won an award in the First Asiaweek Short Story Competition and is included in her first collection of short stories: The Dance and Other Stories.  She has also written the novel A Different Sita, about the Liberation War of Bangladesh.  Among her other awards are the Bangla Academy Award for Translation (2016) and the Anannya Sahitya Puroshkar (2013).

Farah Ghuznavi is a writer, columnist, translator and development worker, whose writing has been widely anthologized in her native Bangladesh as well as in the UK, Germany, France, Austria, USA, Canada, Singapore, India, and Nepal. Her story, “Judgement Day,” was awarded in the Commonwealth Short Story Competition 2010, and “Getting There” placed second in the Oxford University GEF Competition. Farah was Writer in Residence with Commonwealth Writers in 2013. She edited the Lifelines anthology (Zubaan Books, 2012), and subsequently published her first short story collection Fragments of Riversong (Daily Star Books, 2013). She can be contacted through her author page on Facebook and Twitter.

Noora Shamsi Bahar is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of English and Modern Languages, North South University. She completed her MA in English from The University of Western Ontario and has been teaching undergraduate students since 2010. She has presented research papers on the themes of violence (on the page, stage, and screen), performative revenge, rape trauma, childhood defiance, and transgressive womanhood in Oxford, Prague, and Dhaka. These papers have been published as book chapters and as journal articles. Her newly found vocation is translating Bengali short fiction into English, several of which have been published in local dailies. 

Ms Kathleen Ferrier, Chairperson Netherlands UNESCO Commission. Ferrier lauded Ambassador Riaz Hamidullah for emphasizing the importance of Mother Language.

Ms. Kris Van de Poel, Secretary General, Taal Unie, Mother Language and Taal Unie go together.

Students performances, poem declamation, in German, Czech, Indonesian, Yemen, Tagalog, Italian, Turkish, English, Dutch and an Italian song.

Prof. dr. Maarten Mous, Professor of Africa Linguistics, University of Leiden .

Mother Language Day should be inclusive.

H.E. Ambassador Riaz Hamidullah, thanked all the performers for their excellent contribution to the creative observance of the International Mother Language Day 2022. He concluded by distinguishing the importance of “otherness”, let’s embrace others. “We must do, all we can, to save our mother tongue, culture and our unity in diversity.“

Is the West finally afraid of Putin?

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Is the West finally afraid of Putin?

By  Eleni-Vasiliki Bampaliouta

For Russia, Ukraine is not just any other country. It is intertwined with its history and culture. The Russians converted to Christianity in Kiev and the first Russian state was born there. From a geopolitical point of view, the possible transformation of Ukraine into an anti-Russian bastion of NATO cannot be accepted by Moscow in any case, because it is considered unacceptable both in terms of history and ethnic presence of the Russians and in terms of security and geopolitical balance in Europe.

The United States, with Biden’s current policies, is returning to the old American policy of the 1990s and seeking to further marginalize and degrade Russia as a superpower and US geopolitical rival to a regional power in Eurasia. They believe that this project is possible, with the cooperation of Europeans. They therefore oppose the development of any European cooperation strategy with Russia, such as the Nord Stream II pipeline, believing that the development of a strategic cooperation with Russia undermines Europe-US geopolitical unity and strengthens Russia.

The division of the countries of the European Union

An ally of this American policy is the “New Europe”, the countries of Eastern Europe, which, due to their historical past, are supporters of an Atlantic anti-Russian policy. These countries are predominantly Poland and the Baltic states, which, for its own reasons, Romania also takes part. This scenario is reinforced by the apparent change in Finnish policy, which is tacitly abandoning traditional neutrality and approaching NATO, on the occasion of its accession to the European Union. Neighboring Sweden is doing the same, where strong anti-Russian sentiment is also being expressed and stepping up its armaments efforts.

In this context, the overthrow of Yanukovych in Ukraine and the establishment of a pro-Western regime, which wants to lead Ukraine to the European Union and NATO, has sounded the alarm in Moscow, which can in no way accept Ukraine’s accession to NATO, which rightly, after all, is an anti-Russian coalition.

With this data, the different position of the “old” Europe is obvious, with the main speakers being Germany, France and Italy, from the position of the Atlanteans and the USA. The US position, as expressed in the AUKUS Agreement (USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada), is aimed at a policy of double restraint, directed against China and Russia. The practical application of this dual restraint poses a problem in Europe, which lacks the necessary unity and coherence to articulate its own policy, as an independent pole of power, but finds that if it aligns with tough American policy, it risks not only to lose any strategic autonomy but also to suffer a huge blow to its economies and prospects.

Religious conflict

The balance was upset by the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to recognize the Ukrainian Church in Kiev as self-governing. This act, which is unquestionably connected with the geopolitics of Orthodoxy, despite the invoked Ecclesiastical principles, greatly annoyed Moscow and the Russian Church. They saw in this move of the Ecumenical Patriarchate a decision manipulated by the Americans, which aims to cut off the Church of Ukraine from the Russian Church in order to deepen the separation of Ukraine from Russia. The Russian Church considers the blow much deeper and unacceptable because it touches on the very beginnings of Russian Christianity, which took place in Kiev.


The existing difficulties of the four major countries of Europe

First, as France is in a pre-election period. The country currently holds the presidency of the European Union. So his diplomatic moves on the issue will be used in the coming months as a weapon against the opposition in order for Emmanuel Macron to win the French presidential election again.

Second, Italy has fought three times for a stable political life. So one cannot say that they are going through the best period. Everything can be made fragile at any time. They have also had huge financial problems for several years.

Thirdly, Germany has just changed Chancellor. So the difference with Merkel is the stability she left in her country. But this does not mean that he will stay with the new one. Another very important fact is that Germany is more than 50% dependent on cheap Russian gas. The construction of the Nord Stream II pipeline shows that Germany, no matter how pioneering it is in supporting the green energy perspective for the future, knows that its secure energy supply has been linked to gas for many decades to come.

The supply of gas from Russia is obviously not unilateral for Germany. It is offset by exports and investments in Russia. These economic data explain the reluctance and discomfort of the German side and its reluctance to align with the harsh American policy, which could lead to a complete rupture and put Germany in a difficult position. German industrialists, like the Italians, rushed to send delegations to Moscow and make it clear that they were opposed to a policy of rupture and sanctions, for which European industry would pay a very high price.

Finally, as a fourth point, reference should be made to the anti-Russian behavior of the United Kingdom. The fluid political landscape created by Prime Minister Johnson himself, the internal war that has already begun, gives the impression that perhaps in a short time it can be replaced. Scandals such as the “partygate”, problems and resignations of government officials, the wrong policy on the issue of the Covid-19 and his choice to persuade the citizens to leave Britain from the European Union highlight a fragile political situation.

Dangers inside Ukraine


The recession that has been achieved, with great effort, is fragile, because the opposing forces that exist and push towards rupture and conflict are very strong. The greatest danger comes from inside Ukraine, where uncontrollable and extreme forces are operating. For this reason, calculated challenges can be taken, with the naivety that the Russian intervention was allegedly avoided due to the firm position of the USA and the fear of sanctions. An example of such a challenge is the artillery shelling of Donetsk airport.


Putin’s Russia

In any case, the divided big European countries are unlikely to be allowed to enter a new round of the Cold War, which could easily turn into a hot one, due to the fact that Ukraine is a country in Russia’s strategic court, for which last can not retreat beyond a red line. There are, unfortunately, many in the circle of the American President who confuse Yeltsin’s Russia with Putin’s Russia with an unprecedented anti-Russian hysteria. Putin managed, from the wreckage left by his predecessor, to restore Russia’s military power and restore its international standing and prestige. It will not allow its further strategic reversal today, which would even endanger its security. It is a fact that determines any discussions on the issue of Ukraine.

ICC Prosecutor Concerned by the Situation in Ukraine

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ICC Prosecutor Concerned by the Situation in Ukraine

Statement of ICC Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, on the Situation in Ukraine: “I have been closely following recent developments in and around Ukraine with increasing concern.”

While on mission in Bangladesh, I have been closely following recent developments in and around Ukraine with increasing concern.

I remind all sides conducting hostilities on the territory of Ukraine that pursuant to the declaration lodged on 8 September 2015, accepting jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”), my Office may exercise its jurisdiction over and investigate any act of genocide, crime against humanity or war crime committed within the territory of Ukraine since 20 February 2014 onwards.

Any person who commits such crimes, including by ordering, inciting, or contributing in another manner to the commission of these crimes, may be liable to prosecution before the Court, with full respect for the principle of complementarity. It is imperative that all parties to the conflict respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.

My Office has also received multiple queries on the amendments to the Rome Statute with respect to the crime of aggression, which came into force in 2018, and the application of those amendments to the present situation. Given that neither Ukraine nor the Russian Federation are State Parties to the Rome Statute, the Court cannot exercise jurisdiction over this alleged crime in this situation.

My Office will continue to closely monitor the Situation in Ukraine. In the independent and impartial exercise of its mandate, the Office remains fully committed to the prevention of atrocity crimes and to ensuring that anyone responsible for such crimes is held accountable.

Following my return to The Hague, I intend to issue a more detailed statement regarding the Situation in Ukraine, providing clarity on my assessment and the next steps I envisage in relation to this file.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor | Contact: OTPNewsDesk@icc-cpi.int  

VVD: International Wassenaarders: We Want Your Vote! ¡Queremos Tu Voto!

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VVD: International Wassenaarders: We Want Your Vote! ¡Queremos Tu Voto!

Due to some cancellations, mainly because of the war in Ukraine, we had to make the difficult decision to postpone our international debate of the 10th of March. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the Ukrainian people, and we pray for a quick ending of the war. The Wassenaarse VVD does feel the great importance of having an international debate, so if you would like to receive the Save the date, please send an e-mail to: secretaris@vvdwassenaar.nl. We hope to see you soon and of course, please vote, because democracy is so important, especial now. Vote Wassenaarse VVD, list 1 on the 16th of March.

Monday 14 – Wednesday 16 March, the Netherlands will have Local Elections.EU citizens and citizens from non-EU countries are allowed to vote in municipal elections if they meet the requirements. Citizens from non-EU countries are allowed to vote if they have lived legally in the Netherlands for at least 5 years before the election (https://www.government.nl/topics/elections/voting-in-municipal-elections).

Wassenaar is an international village with 20 percent foreigners that come and join our community for different reasons. They like the pleasant living environment, its location, and the services, such as international education or sports. Most important: these “International Wassenaarders” really like Wassenaar. Our Internationals stay more time than on average and some of them make a very important decision for their lives: They don’t go, they stay!

Internationals have become so important to our village that the Local Council is busy to determine their relevance on different fronts, such as the socio-economical and educational services. With the goal of increasing their participation in the community, by making them feel welcome and by meeting their needs.

According to the VVD one thing is certain: there is a big group of International Wassenaarders that live in Wassenaar, that would like to stay more time here (or come back from abroad!) and participate in improving our village and its services. Wassenaar needs to unleash this potential.

In the coming weeks we will embark on a series of conversations with Internationals – from one-to-one talks to an International Debate taking place March 10, 2022 – so we can bring the outcome of these conversations as input to a more practical level at the Local Council, where the perspective and needs of these Internationals will be taken into consideration for the development of a policy for the years to come.

The Team in charge of this purpose exists of two expats, Eduardo Islas and Katya Smit. These two International Wassenaarders have experience in policy making, psychology and business development, and have a clear belief in an international, future-proof Wassenaar where everyone feels welcome and eager to work with others to enrich our prosperous community.

We are committed to (International) diversity, inclusion, and participation.

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Interested in participating, asking a question or participate in our International Debate, please send an email to: secretaris@vvdwassenaar.nl

For a Spanish version please visit www.vvdwassenaar.nl

Tashkent to Host High-Level International Conference on Regional Cooperation of Central Asian States in the Fight Against Terrorism

Diplomat Magazine
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Tashkent to Host High-Level International Conference on Regional Cooperation of Central Asian States in the Fight Against Terrorism

On March 3-4, 2022, a high-level international conference on the topic: “Regional cooperation of Central Asian countries within the framework of the Joint Action Plan for the Implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy”, will be hosted in Tashkent.

The landmark event, supported by international community, will become the practical implementation of the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, put forward at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, and will make a significant contribution to consolidating the efforts of the countries of the region and the international community in the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (UN GCTS) in Central Asia.

The conference is co-organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The Tashkent Conference will be held in a hybrid format with more than 600 senior officials and leading experts from national and foreign think tanks in the EU, Central and South Asia, China, Russia, USA, Middle East and other countries, representatives of international and regional organizations and civil society institutions.

Among the invitees are the participants of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Compact for the implementation of counter-terrorism measures, special representatives of Member States as well as donor states of counter-terrorism activities.

At the opening ceremony, an address is expected on behalf of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and a video message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres. Other speakers include OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Central Asia and Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Ms.  Natalia German, Shanghai Coorperation Organization (SCO) Secretary General Zhang Mina, heads of delegations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The Republic of Uzbekistan will be represented by members of government, heads of chambers and committees of the Oliy Majlis, specialists from ministries, departments and non-governmental organizations and leading researchers from think tanks and universities.

The 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Joint Plan of Action for Central Asia (JPOA) would provide an opportunity to learn about the unique experience of implementing the UN GCTS in this region, as well as to endorse a new edition of the regional JPOA, prepared on the basis of a ten-year review, multi-stakeholder consultations and consensus.

Within the framework of the conference, in the form of panel discussions, four breakout sessions will be held on each of the four pillars of the GCTS.  These include (i) addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism; (ii) Preventing and countering terrorism; (iii) building states’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism and to strengthen the role of the United Nations system in that regard and (iv) ensuring respect for human rights for all and the rule of law as the fundamental basis for the fight against terrorism.

Three side events will be held on the margins of the Conference: 1) the role of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in strengthening cooperation between the states of Central Asia within the framework of the JPoA, 2) the implementation of the UN GCTS, gender aspects in the work with women and children returning from war zones, 3) financial support for programs to counter terrorism. These side events will be organized by SCO RATS, OSCE, UNOCT and their partners.

The key documents following the outcome of the international meeting should be the Tashkent Declaration and updated Joint Plan of Action, in which the countries of Central Asia will reaffirm their commitment to the joint fight against terrorism, which poses a serious threat to international peace and security, define specific tasks for the near future.

The provisions of the Tashkent Declaration and the new Joint Plan of Action will become consistent and a logical continuation of previously adopted documents – the Ashgabat Declaration (2011), the Ashgabat Declaration on Countering Terrorism (2017), and the Dushanbe Declaration on the results of the high level international conference “International and regional cooperation against terrorism and its sources of financing, including drug trafficking and organized crime” (2019).

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For more information:

• Visit the conference website: https://gcts-ca.uz/en;

• Contact the public relations coordinators;

• Review background materials such as the concept note, draft program and information for attendees posted on the conference website.

Residentie Orkest, “Colorful Sounds” Concert

Diplomat Magazine
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Residentie Orkest, “Colorful Sounds” Concert

By Roy Lie Tjam

Soon the coronavirus restrictions are to be lifted, The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra (Residentie orkest) took the stage on Friday 11 February  2022 for what may well be the last orchestral concert under coronavirus restrictions.

With the masterly of Brahms, the colourfulness of Stravinsky and the spectacular sounds of Walton, this is a fitting way to describe the “Kleurrijke Klanken” concert. 

The concert was an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the guest conductor Nuno Coelho. What is more, the renowned Nicolas Altstaedt joined as a cello soloist.

The One Minute Symphony phenomena. It’s  a Residentie Orkest project. A composition student from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague takes to the streets to contact residents in one of the city’s neighbourhoods. Subsequently, a symphony of one minute is composed that will premiere later. A personal story of a resident of The Hague is turned into music.

It has by all means been a dazzling concert.

Featuring on the program:

Nuno Coelho, conductor (Guest conductor of Orquestra Gulbenkian- Lisboa)

Nicolas Altstaedt:  cello

Max van Platen:    One Minute Symphony: Dance of the magpie. Composition student Max van Platen went looking for inspiration for his One Minute Symphony in the Kunstmuseum. Here he spoke to Doede Hardeman, Head of Collections at the museum, about Constant’s work ‘the Blue Flame’. In particular, the idea of ​​rearranging the world and achieving a utopia where one can have a free spirit appealed to Max.

Brahms:  Haydn–Variationen im Sommer  op.56a

Walton:  Cello concert 1956, Tema ed improvvisazioni.

Stravinsky :   

  • L’oiseau de Feu
  • Introduction
  • L’Oiseau de Feu Et Sa Danse
  • Variations de L’Oiseau de Feu
  • Pantomime I
  • Pas de Deux – L’Oiseau de Feu Et Ivan Tsarevitch
  • Pantomime II
  • Scherzo – Danse Des Princesses
  • Pantomime III
  • Ronde Des Princesses
  • Danse Infernale Du Roi Kastchei
  • Berceuse
  • Finale  

After the last piece in the program, the audience stood up in a standing ovation. It was a delightful program, colourful, virtuoso and exciting.

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