Thursday, 11 November 2021, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany: Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff welcomed Nipponese Ambassador Yanagi Hidenao in the framework of his inaugural visit to Saxony-Anhalt.
The visit took place in an anniversary year: 2021 marks the 160th anniversary of German-Japanese relations.
The Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Japan, which was concluded in 2019, provided an opportunity to exchange views on strengthening economic cooperation in Saxony-Anhalt. Exports from Saxony-Anhalt to Japan amounted to 113 million euros in 2020, despite the pandemic-related slump, and goods worth 51.4 million euros were imported from Japan. There are currently five companies in Saxony-Anhalt with majority Japanese participation.
There is a lively exchange in the field of science. Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, the Harz and Magdeburg-Stendal Universities of Applied Sciences and Burg Giebichenstein University of Art maintain university partnerships with a total of 18 Japanese institutions.
There is also cooperation in the school sector: since 2008, the city of Inuyama has been sending the best pupils of the essay competition held in Inuyama on an annual trip to Halle. There is also a school exchange through the town twinning of the city of Zeitz with the Japanese city of Tosu.Â
Various institutions also maintain contacts in the arts. For example, the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation cooperates with the Kuwasawa Design School in Tokyo in the Bauhaus Open Stage Studios programme. Every year, students from Saxony-Anhalt and Japan carry out joint projects in which the educational and artistic-experimental perspective of the historical Bauhaus stage is re-examined.
Ambassador Yanagi was likewise received by the Speaker of the State Diet, Dr. Gunnar Schellenberger and members of the German business community.
Friday, 12 November, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany: Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff received the Ambassador of Georgia in Germany, Professor Dr Levan Izoria, for his inaugural visit in Saxony-Anhalt since he took up the ambassadorship in June 2020.
Both sides exchanged views on current issues such as the challenges of the pandemic, and expressed the hope that bilateral contacts can be expanded. In 2020, goods worth almost 2.9 million euros were exported from Saxony-Anhalt to the South Caucasian country, whereas imports had a volume of around 200,000 euros.
There is close cooperation in the field of science, for example: Otto von Guericke University works together with Tbilisi Ivane Javakhisvili State University in the field of medicine on the basis of a university agreement. From 2017 to 2019, the Institute of Classical Studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Laboratory for Visual Anthropology and Local History at Ilia State University Tbilisi carried out excavations in the Nazarlebi rampart complex on the edge of the Shiraki Plain in Kakheti (eastern Georgia) in a research cooperation. In addition, MLU maintains further cooperation in the area of student and teacher exchanges with universities in Georgia.
Germany was the first country in the European Community to recognise Georgia under international law after its independence in 1991 and to establish diplomatic relations. At the European level, Georgia is part of the Eastern Partnership within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Euro-Atlantic integration has been an important issue for the country for many years. In 2017, for example, the Georgian constitution enshrined the goal of membership in the EU and NATO. Since 2016, Georgia has been linked to the EU by an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. In 2017, the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens travelling to the EU also came into force, allowing them to stay in the Schengen area for up to three months.
Following the meeting with Premier Dr. Haseloff, the Ambassador paid a call upon the Speaker of the State Assembly (Landtag), Dr. Gunnar Schellenberger, and to State Secretary, Dr. Jürgen Ude, at the Ministry of Economics, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry of Saxony-Anhalt.
Poland’s Independence Day or Narodowe Święto Niepodległości is celebrated on the 11th of November. This day commemorates the anniversary of Poland regaining its sovereignty from the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires in 1918.
Polish artists, pianist Ms Paulina Bukowicz and flautist Ms Maja Jasinska.
Ambassador Marcin Czepelak opened the evening by very warmly welcoming his guests. He proudly presented the talented pianist Ms Paulina Bukowicz and flautist Ms Maja Jasinska, both delighted the audience.
A breakdown of the programme:
F.Chopin – Grande Valse Brillante Op. 34No.2 in A minor
H.Wieniaski – Chanson Polonaise
F.Chopin – Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No.2
F.Chopin – Fantasie-Impromtu Op.66
A. Caplet – Petite Valse
Independence of Poland commemoration at the Embassy of Poland in The Hague 2021.
The applause was long and enthusiastic, after the concert audience members waited to share their excitement with the two performers.
A Polish buffet concluded the melodious soiree commemorating the 2021 Polish Independence Day.
Monday, 15 November 2021, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany: The Italian Ambassador Armando Varricchio paid his inaugural visit to Bremen City-State. He was welcomed to the City Hall by Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte and Senator for Science and Ports, Dr. Claudia Schilling.Â
The ambassador signed the city’s Golden Book. His visit to Bremen is also connected with the “Space Tech Expo 2021”, which begins 16 November at the exhibition centre, and wherein the ambassador is partaking alongside the Italian Consul General based in Hamburg, David Michelut, as well as Honorary Consul Marco Fuchs, who is based in Bremen.Â
Mayor Bovenschulte emphasised that there is a long and close relationship between Bremen and Italy. And the latter, he expressly emphasised, was also thanks to the good work of the Honorary Consul, who has maintains lively contacts with Italy and the Italian Embassy since he took office in mid-2008.
Space research activities are important for the relationship between Italy and Bremen, as is evident from Varricchio’s visit to the “Space Tech Expo”. In addition, Senator Dr. Schilling exchanged views with the ambassador on the possibilities of Bremen becoming a member of the “ICARNet” (International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network) based in Pescara, Italy. This is an international research network in which various astrophysical phenomena are investigated.
On the image f.l.t.r.: Marco Fuchs, OHB Chairman & Honorary Consul of Italy; Ambassador Armando Varricchio; Governing Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte and Dr. Claudia Schilling, Senator for Science and Ports – Picture by Bremer SenatspressestelleÂ
Thursday, 11 November 2021, Munich, Free State of Bavaria, Germany: For his inagural visit to Bavaria since taking over the Kyrgyz ambassadorship in Germany on 16 September 2021, Ambassador Erlan Abdyldaev was received at Prince Carl Palace by the Bavarian Minister for European Affairs, Melanie Huml. The visit takes place in the framework of 30 years of statehood for the Kyrgyz Republic.Â
Abdyldayev was born on 21 June 21 1966 in Alma-Ata, today Almaty, in Kazakhstan. In 1989 he graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He is married, and has a son and a daughter. Ambassador Abdyldaev is a career diplomat who speaks fluent Kyrgyz, Russian, Mandarin and English. He served in the capacity as Kyrgyz foreign minister from 2012 to 2018.Â
Kyrgyzstan’s Embassy in Germany maintains an office in Bonn. Besides the embassy’s accreditation to Germany, the mission is concurrently accredited to Denmark, the Holy See, Poland, Norway and Sweden.
From his side, Consul General Timothy Liston is the United States’ Consul General in Munich since the end of July 2021. He joined the Foreign Service Officer in 2002. Consul General Liston most recently completed a year at the National War College, where he earned a Master of Science in National Security Strategy. Previously he served as Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Viêt Nam, from 2016 to 2020.
Peru, an ever-changing gastronomic kingdom, demonstrated its uniqueness during the Flavour Food Festival held this year in October at The Hague’s Leonardo Royal Hotel.  The intriguing cuisine makes chefs from all over the world travel to Peru to see for themselves how locals bring together the culinary traditions of multiple ancestral cultures with a variety  of local ingredients to create some of the most amazing and interesting food on Earth.
This reputation kept the focus on Peru for food lovers of The Hague during the four days of the Flavours Festival edition 2021. Peruvian cuisine has been recognized in media as well, being called by The Wall Street Journal ‘The Next Big Thing’ and The Economist has named Peru as ‘A gastronomic Mecca.’ The country has been considered the World’s Leading Culinary Destination by World Travel Awards for more than nine consecutive years in a row.
The Embassy of Peru, together with Leonardo Royal Hotel and Diplomat Magazine, hosted the fourth iteration of the Flavour Food Festival in The Hague, showcasing traditional Peruvian cooking at his best.
Her Excellency, Ms. Marisol Agüero Colunga, Ambassador of Peru, opened the Festival on the first evening to welcome the fully reserved Leonardo Royal Hotel dining area. Even having been enlarged not once, but three times, the guests filled up the four days of the food festival to demonstrate that the epicurean power of the Peruvian flavours are well known in Europe. Diplomats, jurists, journalists, lovers of good food, all came to Leonardo Royal from 28 to 31 of October. As said by Ambassador Agüero Colunga, ‘It is not possible to condense in one single night all the different cuisines from Peru.’
Very diverse flavours and ingredients are native to the Andean mountains, the Amazon jungle and the coastal areas, influenced by 90 different microclimates and many rich and ancient cultures. Just as an example, more than 3,000 varieties of potato and 55 types of corn are grown in Peru. The event included an exhibition of fresh Peruvian agri-products brought to the Netherlands by Bud Holland, Dutch leader importer of fruits and vegetables.
Peruvian Flavours 2021 edition.
With everybody fully enjoying the warmth of Peruvian hospitality, the night started with an exceptional ‘Pisco Sour’ cocktail which set the mood for the rest of the evening.
Pisco, the ‘flagship beverage of Peru,’ is a truly special beverage distilled from the pisqueras grapes, protected by the first Peruvian Denomination of Origin. Specially for the occasion, guests tasted three varieties of the pisco: Quebranta, Torontel and Acholado presented by expert Jan Jaap Nijemeisland.
For starters Chef Lourdes served a ‘Causa’ of potato, tuna, and avocado; a ‘Papas a la Huancaina’ (potato with typical Peruvian spicy cheese sauce); and a cod ceviche from heaven, with crusty sweet potato, a corn duo and a quinoa salad.
It is no wonder that the first edition of the Food Festivals here, years ago, was also marked by Peruvian flavours. Some of the Peruvian dishes have even been included in the regular Menu of Leonardo Royal restaurant ever since, allowing them to be continued to be shared with guests from all over the world.
For the main course guests were lavishly spoiled with an exquisite ‘Chupe de Camarones’ (Shrimp soup with corn, pumpkin, potato, rice, beans and huacatay), ‘Arroz con Pato’ (Sticky rice with duck and coriander), the delicious Peruvian spicy chicken creamed in a yellow chili sauce ‘Aji de Gallina’ and ‘Quinoa Atamalada’(Spicy quinoa with feta cheese).
And to make sure we remained in heaven we were served a ‘Tartelette de Lucuma with red fruits,’ ‘Mazamorra Morada,’ and ‘Alfajores filled with dulce de leche’ for dessert.
Building on the offerings of previous festivals, Peruvian wines were also served, notably Sauvignon Blanc Intipalka and red Syrah Intipalka
The Peruvian Flavours dinner was a pleasure to enjoy with all the senses. We were touched by genuine warm hospitality and a world of new flavours, fragrances and textures. It was a truly successful festival and a night to remember!
Against a backdrop of a continuing, and re-intensifying landscape of COVID-19 worldwide, President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana rose before Parliament on Monday, November 8, to deliver the annual State of the Nation Address. In his introductory remarks he commended the many facets of national society which have remained strong throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and been essential to social function, while also emphasizing that, although the State of Public Emergency has been lifted (a measure which President Masisi has already publicly considered reinstating), adherence to public safety and health measures is still essential for all. He also drew attention to the National Vision 2036 program and efforts to raise Botswana to a High Income Nation by 2036.
The rest of the speech followed the following themes: Economy and Employment; Social Up-Liftment (sic); Sustainable Environment; and Governance, Peace, and Security.
The President’s economic outlook was optimistic, highlighting predictions for a quick recovery from the downturn suffered during the pandemic and reflecting a highly successful agricultural season. Various efforts to revitalize the tourism sector were also touched on as this important area of the economy particularly suffered during 2020.
Much was elaborated upon in many other important areas of the Botswana economy, including mining, creative industry, sport, infrastructure. Many major infrastructure projects such as further digitization and spread of optical fiber networks, as well as expanding the capacity of national electrical production, are targeted to be completed by the end of 2022.
Regarding Social Up-Liftment, President Masisi proudly spoke of government success in funding programs for youth owned businesses and for targeted projects which have recently been launched, including a youth owned radio station. Additionally, Botswana will be the host of the first Forbes Under 30 Summit in Africa, scheduled for April 2022 and expected to gather hundreds of young innovators from around the world.
Womens’ equality was another major topic in the speech, sharing the many firsts that have been recently achieved for women in leadership roles in the government. Additionally, an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender Based Violence has been established, along with other programs to address this issue in the past year.
In the context of the ongoing pandemic, health and wellness was prominent in the speech, with Botswana faring generally better against COVID-19 than many other nations of Sub-Saharan Africa. Steps are being taken to minimize the potential for a fourth wave and the country is on track to vaccinate 64% of the population by the end of 2021. Proliferation of oxygen, ventilators, and other essential medical equipment is continuing so that it can be mobilized when necessary in the ongoing battle against the pandemic.
HIV-AIDS is also an ongoing major health issue in the Southern Africa region, and the Government of Botswana is holding to their commitment to end new transmissions by 2030. Vulnerable populations are being given special attention with a variety of preventative programs.
For the section on sustainable environment, President Masisi highlighted to Parliament the steps being taken to curb climate change, to ensure community control of natural resources, and to improve sanitation across the country. Even though the country enjoys very high air quality, bio-digestors are being constructed to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Additionally, 11% of the country still has no access to sanitation services, so pilot projects are being initiated with the aim of expanding these services complete to all Batswana.
Finally, in a review of governance related matters, the President described efforts to open new courts and speed up review processes; to review and bring up to international standards the country’s labor laws; and to combat the growing prescient issues of crime, both cyber and traditional, which have manifested in parts of the country over the past year.
Botswana is also in position as the incumbent chair of the Southern African Development Community and has, in this position, promoted cooperation with neighbors through bilateral measures. Some major foreign policy goals relating to Africa are a committment to resolving the political crisis in Eswatini, ensuring security in Mozambique, a strong denouncement of the coup in Sudan, and an urging of restraint for the Government of Ethiopia in their own civil conflict.
President Masisi concluded his remarks with the hope that, emerging from this crisis of the pandemic, Botswana can make the most of it and work towards a better future based on self-reliance and development. He uses the Tswana phrase: ‘letsema le thata ke mong’ which roughly translates to ‘if you want something done right, do it yourself.’
As one of the wealthiest and most stable nations in Africa, with some of the highest standards of living, Botswana has a bright future and the international community should join in wishing them well and applauding the successes they have already achieved in this difficult time.
Wednesday, 10 November 2021, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany: The Irish Ambassador in Germany, Dr Nicholas O’Brien went to Bremen to undertake his inaugural visit to the Senate, that is to say, the Bremen City-State Government.
Representing the Governing Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte, Dr. O’Brien was received by Kai Stührenberg, State Councillor to the Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe, at the Town Hall. There, Ambassador O’Brien also signed the Golden Book.
Subsequently Ambassador O’Brien encountered the Speaker of the Bremen Diet, Frank Imhoff, as well as the Chair of the Parliament’s Committee on Federal and European Affairs, International Contacts and Development Cooperation, Susanne Grobien.
Stührenberg thanked Dr. Nicholas O’Brien on behalf of the Senate for the Republic’s interest in intensifying contacts with the City-State of Bremen. There have already been talks on this between the Ambassador and the State’s Plenipotentiary in Berlin, State Councillor Dr. Olaf Joachim. The latter fits in well with Ireland’s close ties to the EU, especially in times of Brexit. The Senate is very aware and welcomes Ireland’s strong support for the idea of a common Europe.
State Councillor Stührenberg said as per statement below: “Ireland is a reliable partner within the EU. Given my responsibility for Europe, I am very interested in Ambassador O’Brien’s views on Brexit and the implications for Ireland. Especially on the still difficult issue related to the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland. In addition, I would like to discuss how Ireland would like to shape its relations with the German states in the future, and of course with Bremen in particular, and what opportunities this may create for Bremen.”
Arusha, 10 November 2021 – Mechanism Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will be on an official visit to Kigali from 11 to 17 November 2021. This visit constitutes part of preparations for his regular biannual report to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and follows the Prosecutor’s recent official visits to Harare, Zimbabwe and Pretoria, South Africa.
The Prosecutor is scheduled to meet with key Government officials, including Dr. Vincent Biruta, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Aimable Havugiyaremye, the Prosecutor General, CG Dan Munyuza, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Jeannot Ruhunga, Secretary General of the Rwandan Investigation Bureau, and others.
