The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meeting the King Mohammed VI of Morocco, on the sidelines of the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit 2015, in New Delhi on October 29, 2015. Photography courtesy of Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India.
Thursday, 10 December 2020, Kingdom of Morocco: The White House and the US State Department have announced the recognition of the United States of Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. The latter decision is bound to an agreement whereby the Sharifian kingdom re-establishes diplomatic ties with the State of Israel. Morocco thus joins the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan in forging amiable ties with Israel.
Morocco under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Prince of the Faithful, aims at re-opening economic liaison offices shut down in 2002, and to begin air traffic between the two countries.
“Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara,” US President Donald Trump said per statement. No other UN member states recognize Western Sahara as part of Morocco, however, the agreement may change the situation as Arab nations are opening consulates in Western Sahara, thereby boosting Moroccan legitimacy over the region.
Morocco established ties with the young republic of the United States already in 1777 under the reign of Sultan Mohammed III bin Abdallah. Formal U.S. diplomatic relations with Morocco began in 1787 when the Confederation Congress ratified a Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which is still valid today in another renegotiated version. The latter is the longest standing treaty with any state worldwide from the side of the USA.
By itself Morocco is home to a sizeable population of Jewish extraction.
From Neutrality to Engagement— His Role in Achieving Victory and Similarity to Obama
By Mr. Razzaq K. Mansoor Al-Seedi, First Secretary, Embassy of Iraq in The Netherlands.
In spring 1940, as the War spread throughout Western Europe, driving the British and French armies out of the continent, slowly the public opinion moved toward supporting a more effective American role in the conflict. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was no exception. Subsequently, he managed to convince the Congress to repeal the Neutrality Acts that was passed in the 1930s. This made it possible for the US to sell weapons to Britain.
On 8 December 1941, FDR asked the Congress for approval to declare the war against Japan that attacked Pearl Harbor, and the Congress approved within hours. In turn, Germany and Italy declared war on the US and the Congress as well reciprocated.
This prompt coordination between the Democrat and the Republican was not a coincidence. A year before the attack, In FDR’s efforts to bring more support to his policy, he appointed two Republicans for important positions, former Secretary of State Henry Stimson was Secretary of War and Frank Knox was Secretary of the Navy.[i] Moreover, according to Robert Dallek, an American historian specializing in American Presidents, “Historians generally give Roosevelt high marks for his direction of wartime strategy. As this and other recent studies conclude, Roosevelt was the principal architect of the basic strategic decisions that contributed so heavily to the early defeat of Germany and Japan”[ii] (p. 532).
When the War ended, FDR was extremely keen on creating the UN. However, he did not want to repeat the mistake of League of Nations. One conditionality for the new democratic body was that world peace to be maintained by few countries that he trusted, namely China, Russia, the UK, and the US. In his Christmas Eve speech in December 1943 he captured that image; Britain, Russia, China, the United States and their Allies represent more than three-quarters of the total population of the earth. As long as these four nations with great military power stick together in determination to keep the peace there will be no possibility of an aggressor nation arising to start another war.[iii] (p.609)
This indicates his vision of these four countries as “four policemen” who would maintain the world peace, and eliminating the possibility of rising new “aggressor nations” who would threat the world peace.
Similarity between Roosevelt and Obama
Some scholars have pointed out that the former President, Barack Obama and Roosevelt have several in common. Both are democrats; both show a jaunty sense in the middle of despair, as E.J Dionne, American journalist and political commentator, wrote:
(I)t would seem that Obama has been studying the 1932 campaign of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The key to Roosevelt’s victory was not a big program but a jaunty sense of optimism in the midst of despair…(Obama) seemed to be channeling FDR when he told a crowd in Indianapolis on Wednesday: “This isn’t a time for fear.’ ” McCain, however, was attempting to freighting voters about Obama, exactly what Herbert Hoover trying to do with Roosevelt.[iv] (p.300)
This shows the long lasting influence of FDR for later Presidents and leaders. Although FDR’s terms were faced with extremely unique circumstances, American Presidents have a lot to learn from their esteemed predecessor, especially in the midst of tremendous difficulties. And Obama is an example of many such Presidents.
H.E. Mr. Agustin Vazquez Gomez is leaving the Netherlands at the end of a remarkable posting, in which he outdid all the goals that the Foreign Affairs Ministry of El Salvador had put on his task list.
Many ambassadors from every continent came together to say goodbye to a man who gained the love and respect of everyone fortunate enough to meet him. A legendary career diplomat and former official of the El Salvador Navy, Mr. Vazquez Gomez gave a great boost to his country’s diplomatic reputation.
He distinguished himself as a person whom people would turn to for consultation and advice on all issues, a person whom many people relied on as their friend Agustin, a person who represented El Salvador to the Netherlands with wisdom and tenacity during his six-year stay.
Ambassador Agustin Vazquez Gomez
Both Ambassador Vazquez Gomez and his wife Mirella learned Dutch during their stay in the Netherlands and have made life-long friendships with locals, Dutch civil servants and diplomats from all over the word. The Ambassador will continue in his already more than two-decades-old, brilliant diplomatic career, which took him and his family to Washington D.C., The Hague, and now Ankara, where Mr. Vazquez Gomez will serve as the first Ambassador of El Salvador in Turkey.
Despite the constraints posed by the current situation, Diplomat Magazine organized a Ceremony of Merit in honour of Ambassador Vazquez Gomez at Leonardo Royal Hotel. Although the ceremony was held online, this did not make it any less meaningful – in the words of Ambassador Bellouki from Morocco: “Even if it is a virtual farewell, it is still a moving ceremony”. The Leonardo Royal Hotel carefully prepared a room with a screen, flowers, and flags to welcome – together with Ambassador Vazquez Gomez and Mirella – the Ambassador of Morocco H.E. Mr. Abdelouahab Bellouki, as well as the Director General of the OPCW H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, who delivered very personal and detailed speeches. Over forty guests followed the ceremony via Zoom.
The Ambassador of Morocco spent many words of praise for his colleague, highlighting his great contribution to the improvement of bilateral ties between El Salvador and the Netherlands. “Agustin’s rich experience and brilliant career is the product of tireless efforts to make the voice of El Salvador heard on international scene. On bilateral relations between El Salvador and the Netherlands, he enhanced many fields of cooperation during his tenure. His substantial contribution to the strengthening and expanding of bilateral relations is crystal clear. Thanks to his continuous efforts, there is an increasing interest in the Netherlands towards El Salvador. He brought relations between the two countries on innovative path of cooperation.
He worked hard to achieve his country’s legitimate interests. On 15th May 2018, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Amsterdam hosted the launching event for the newly established bilateral Chamber of Commerce of El Salvador and the Netherlands, in order to enhance business between the two countries. The Chamber’s Chairperson said that 118 Dutch companies had trade with El Salvador and 226 Salvadorian compagnies could very well export to the Netherlands.”
The Ambassador of El Salvador, H.E. Agustin Vazquez Gomez and the Ambassador of Morocco H.E. Mr. Abdelouahab Bellouki.
Ambassador Bellouki continued by highlighting Ambassador Vazquez Gomez’ contribution to the work of the International Organizations headquartered in The Hague. “In The Hague, Agustin was also in charge of the main International Organizations and especially OPCW, where I saw him acting with great stewardship. In this regard, he demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities. His sound chairmanship of the EC and deal-making abilities helped cement his reputation and held him to high standards.
His personal follow-up, in close concertation with the OPCW DG Ambassador Fernando Arias, of the required rules under Covid-19 for the two previous EC sessions, reflects his sterling qualities of a creative problem-solver. He has been actively involved in all efforts and meetings aimed at the realization of the OPCW’s noble objectives, in particular as a cofacilitator concerning organizational governance. He also has been an active member of the GRULAC Group and NAM+China Group on all OPCW matters and also regarding other International Organizations in the Netherlands.”
H.E. Mr. Abdelouahab Bellouki from Morocco.
Besides his professional skills, Ambassador Bellouki commended his colleague for his outstanding personality. “Thanks to his personal chemistry, Agustin makes everyone feel as a friend. By using first names to affectionately address his colleagues and delegates, he brings down walls and barriers and build bridges of a sincere friendship and respect, trust and conviviality. He does it with class and grace. By shortening distance, he projects an image of proximity and empathy to his interlocutors. He knows how to give flavor to human relationships. No empty icy formality or formalism. And everybody feels comfortable with it. He promotes a kind of a culture of informality. But still there is in its recognition of our interconnectedness with one another.”
H.E. Fernando Arias, Director General OPCW and the Ambassador of Morocco.
“Agustin accomplished his mission with high standards of professionalism. In spite of his limited staff, he was on many fronts. He is really blessed with boundless energy. Whoever replaces him will have very big shoes to fill. He set the bar too high for his successor” – Ambassador Bellouki said, moving towards the conclusion of his speech. “Agustin’s departure is a great loss to the diplomatic community in The Hague. He will be missed a lot but always remembered. He has earned high esteem and respect from his colleagues, governments circles and business community in the Netherlands. He has been a warm, funny and easily accessible colleague, passionate and motivated, with great devotion for his work. He has commendable diplomatic tact and skills, and he is gifted with an active intellect and a clearly articulated vision when dealing with any topic. He has proved to be wise, forceful, considerate, as well as respectful towards others’ views and positions, dialoguing always in serenity. His spouse Mirella and Agustin touched the minds and hearts of all those who crossed their paths in the Netherlands.”
After Ambassador Bellouki, it was the turn of OPCW’s H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias to commend the qualities of Ambassador Vazquez Gomez. “I consider a privilege, to address this group of friends on the occasion of the departure of Ambassador Vazquez, our dear friend Agustin. During your stay in The Hague, you have showed calm and wisdom in your approach to every issue you had to deal with. At the same time, you have done so with unique generosity and hard work in many different areas.”
Ambassador Vazquez and his spouse Mirella, accompanied by H.E. Fernando Arias, OPCW Director General.
H.E. Mr. Arias underlined the Ambassador’s outstanding contribution to the work of the OPCW. “I wish to thank you sincerely, because you have played an essential role in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, at the OPCW. You are an outstanding diplomat, and I am at the same time very proud and honoured to say that in front of everybody. Twice, at the OPCW, you have gained the trust of your distinguished colleagues. You were first appointed as Chair of the OPCW 4th Review Conference to guide the work of States Parties in reviewing the operations of the Chemical Weapons Convention. You then have been chosen to become the Chair of the OPCW Executive Council, a very sensitive position, where you have showed once again your capacity to listen, understand, and propose ways forward on which all could agree.”
“You had to perform your duties while the epidemic of COVID-19 started and made our work even more complex but not less successful. Additionally, you devoted a lot of time and effort as a facilitator to improve the governance of the Organisation in fields of gender balance, regional distribution, the extensions of the contracts in relation to the tenure policy and other areas. I want to thank you sincerely for all that” – concluded Mr. Arias.
From his side, Ambassador Agustin Vazquez Gomez expressed his gratitude to Diplomat Magazine for its support and friendship during his many years in The Hague. “This gathering among friends has a special meaning, since it occurs at a time when worldwide we are facing one of the greatest challenges that contemporary generations have experienced, in which – now more than ever – we must unite in solidarity in order to confront this invisible disease.”
Ambassador Vazquez Gomez, Mirella, Ambassador Bellouki and OPCW Director General Fernando Arias.
Ambassador Vazquez Gomez remembered his time as Deputy Agent representing el Salvador at the International Court of Justice, his friendship with the Registrar of that time Philippe Couvreur, “a man with great dignity, with such a great knowledge on International Law and beyond and above all, overflowing chivalry.” He also recalled the tribute organized at the Great Hall of Justice in the Peace Palace to Dr. José Gustavo Guerrero, last president of the Permanent Court of International Justice and first President of the International Court of Justice, as well as his involvement and personal interest in the OPCW, where he was president of the 4th Review Conference, Co-Facilitator of Organizational and Governance issues and Chairperson of the Executive Council.
“The achievements that I have reached representing El Salvador before the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Criminal Court, the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the Permanent Court of Arbitration are not minor. In each of these organizations, El Salvador has managed to provide a relevant contribution, and my gratitude in this occasion is extended to each of its Heads and Staff members. Over the past years, we were able to plant precious seeds, both in multilateral institutions and bilaterally” – Mr. Vazquez Gomez concluded, summing up some of the achievements of his tenure as Ambassador.
Diplomat Magazine, together with the whole diplomatic community of the Netherlands, wishes Agustin, Mirella and their family the very best for their future experiences!
Bangladesh Embassy in the Netherlands, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka, has organized a (virtual) Bangladesh-Netherlands Investment Summit, on 8th and 9th December 2020, to mobilise potential Dutch entrepreneurs, innovators and SMEs to explore specific investment opportunities in three key sectors: Agriculture – Food, Light Engineering, Water – Maritime.
Two leading Investment Consulting firms – LightCastle Partners (Dhaka) and Larive International (Amsterdam) – were collaborating with the Embassy in this venture.
Leading Bangladeshi Chambers, industry Associations and Agencies as well as leading Dutch Government agency, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), were associated with the Embassy’s initiative.
Unlike conventionally organised Business or Investment Seminars or B-to-B meetings, the event brought a set of three sector-specific, interactive Webinars where the interested Dutch entrepreneurs got the chance to engage with sector-specific panellists from Bangladesh and the Netherlands to assess ways to form long-term collaboration with credible private sector partners in Bangladesh.
Unlike conventionally organised Business or Investment Seminars or B-to-B meetings, the event brought a set of three sector-specific, interactive Webinars where theinterestedDutch entrepreneurs got the chance to engage with sector-specific panellists from Bangladesh and the Netherlands to assess ways to form long-term collaboration with credible private sector partners in Bangladesh.
Following the Investment Webinars, on 10th December, an illustrative StudyonDutch-Bangladesh economic engagements titled “ Netherlands in Bangladesh: Mapping the ground @ 50 stitching partnerships” was launched where Dutch Ambassador in Bangladesh Mr. Harry Verweij and Dutch Ambassador for Business Development Mr. Steven Collet along with State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Mr. Md. Shahriar Alam were present. The Study would highlight key accomplishments in various economic fields as also share indicate possible areas of cooperation between private sectors of Bangladesh and the Netherlands.
Over the past five decades, Bangladesh enjoys seamless political ties and economic engagements with the Netherlands. There is now growing potential for Dutch involvement in various fields in Bangladesh through Dutch knowledge, innovation, technological products and solutions within global supply chains. At present, the Netherlands is the 4th largest origin country for FDI to Bangladesh and 7th largest export destination in Europe for Bangladeshi goods.
The ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Ms. Mirsada Čolaković, will leave The Netherlands early next year. Many colleagues, members of the diaspora, and friends are already starting to say goodbye, in a very long sequence of visits and intimate farewells. Appointed as Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the OPCW in 2016, ambassador Čolaković will be remembered by many due to her passionate patriotism, her engaging conversations, her openness and positive attitude, her energy, her smile, and her solidarity with colleagues and compatriots.
H.E. Ms. Mirsada Čolaković with her team at the Embassy of Bosnia & Herzegovina in The Hague. Arijan Pranjic, Executive Assistant, Michel Alfirevic, First Secretary and Nedzad Cosovic, Officer.
Ambassador Čolaković made a real offer to reach out to the Dutch population, including in the business sector, in academia, in the artistic world, as well as among civil servants – thus building an enormous list of new friends and contacts for her country. Hard working and always present in every field, she has proved to be a naturally friendly person, with a great sense of humor – someone who could create a party atmosphere at any place.
As the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, H.E. Ms. Čolaković has made an impressive contribution to the valorization and recognition of her country’s diaspora. She has engaged the Dutch Government, politicians, businesspeople, and opinion leaders to create opportunities and better conditions in the bilateral exchanges between her country and the Netherlands in all fields. She has acted as a great gender champion and a leading figure in the representation of the western Balkans in The Netherlands.
Ambassador Čolaković with Diplomat Magazine’s publisher, Dr. Mayelinne De Lara.
In the current situation, Diplomat Magazine had to hand over to ambassador Čolaković her well-deserved Certificate of Merit in a private ceremony, held at the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Certificate of Merit – Ceremony of Merit- Farewell ceremony
Tuesday, 15 December 2020, North Rhine-Westphalia/Republic of Poland: Under the chairmanship of the Marshal of Lubusz, Elżbieta Anna Polak and Minister for European Affairs of NRW, Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, representatives of the 16 German Länder and the 16 Polish voivodeships discussed the potentials of interregional cooperation, in particular, the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to Corona, the Committee for Interregional Cooperation met as a video conference. Minister Holthoff-Pförtner as per statement below: “In times of crisis and need, our cooperation based on trust proves particularly valuable. Germany and Poland are strongly affected by the pandemic and face the same challenges. Close exchange and strong professional networking are a great benefit for all involved. The intergovernmental commission is a platform for this important cooperation.”
Prof. Dr. Hugo van Aken, Chairman of the Board and Medical Director of Münster University Hospital, and Dr. Marek Działoszyński, Chairman of the Board of the University Hospital in Grünberg (Zielona Góra), reported on the pandemic response from the perspective of the hospitals involved.
Münster is responsible for coordinating international patient admission in North Rhine-Westphalia. The University Hospital Grünberg, one of the largest hospitals in the Polish-German border region, has been converted into a COVID 19 priority hospital. The Minister continued: “Coordinated cross-border cooperation and exchange is at the core of the European idea and is proving its worth in the Corona crisis. Only together will Europe contain the pandemic. Another sign of pan-European solidarity is the 750 billion euros in reconstruction aid for the regions most affected by the pandemic, which the Council agreed on last week under the German Presidency.”
There are well-practised partnerships between the German Länder and the Polish voivodeships, which are now proving their worth in the pandemic. The German-Polish intergovernmental commission was set up in 1991 by the governments of Germany and Poland. North Rhine-Westphalia and the Lubuskie Voivodeship head the Committee for Interregional Cooperation.
Monday, 14 December 2020, Hamilton, Islands of Bermuda: Her Excellency Rena Lalgie was sworn in as Bermuda’s novel governor, first female, and first governor of Afro-British descent to hold the office.
The mother of two has a long career in public service with her most recent employment being the Director of Office of Financial Sanction Implementation at Her Majesty’s Treasury. As Governor Ms Lalgie’s office is viceregal, representing The Queen as head of state, acting as Commander-in-Chief, and appointing the Premier (currently David Burt since 2017) as well as the eleven members of the Senate.
The Somers Isles, or Islands of Bermuda are a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Governor of Bermuda is appointed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II upon the advice of her British Prime Minister. The Governor is responsible for upholding the Bermudian Constitution and for other duties as assigned by the Queen, or her British ministers.
Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher & UN SG António Guterres – Picture by Hamburger Senatskanzlei.
Friday, 18 December 2020, Berlin, Germany: “The Corona pandemic highlights the importance of the United Nations. The World Health Organization, as part of the UN family, is helping to combat the global spread of the Corona virus and ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and medicines,” said Hamburg’s Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher as per statement below.
“The UN enables the international community to work together globally according to common principles. This is of great importance for an international metropolis like Hamburg. With around 100 consulates, more than half of the UN member states are represented in Hamburg. It is in our interest that the UN is involved in securing peace, fighting poverty, and protecting the climate and natural resources. With the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, two important institutions of the UN family are based in Hamburg.”
Mayor Dr. Tschentscher expressed his support for the UN before attending the allocution held by the UN ninth Secretary-General António Guterres at the Bundestag in Berlin. Guterres also held private meetings with Germany’s Federal President Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the country’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Background information
In June 1945, representatives of 50 states signed the United Nations Charter, which entered into force four months later on 24 October 1945. This was the first time that fundamental values and interests of the world community were formulated.
The UN’s most important goals are to secure world peace and international law, to protect human rights and to promote international cooperation. In 2015, the UN adopted 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (“Millennium Development Goals”), which aim to overcome hunger and poverty, among other things, by 2030. The United Nations has 193 member states.
Hamburg is the seat of two institutions of the UN family: The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, founded in 1996 on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, adjudicates in disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, founded in 1952, is an international research, training, information and documentation centre. It promotes adult education, lifelong learning, informal education and literacy in all regions of the world.
It was on a quiet autumn afternoon in The Hague where I met Sadat Rahman. This Bangladeshi teen has won the 2020 International Children’s Peace Prize for setting up the social organization and mobile app “Cyber Teens”, which is designed to help in the fight against Cyberbullying in south-western Bangladesh. The Children’s Peace Prize is an initiative of the international children’s rights organization known as Kids Rights. The prize was first launched in 2005 during an International Conference of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome, chaired by Mr Mikhail Gorbachev.
There were 142 applicants from 42 countries that took part in the 2020 contest. The Kids Rights’ Expert Committee selected Sadat Rahman as the winner. By winning the award, Sadat Rahman now has an international platform from which he will be able to spread his message worldwide. The prize is presented to the winner by a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
From left to right Md Sakhawat Hossain, Sadat’s father, Sadat and Ms Nawrid Sharmin from the Embassy of Bangladesh.
The Kids Rights organization described Sadat Rahman as a changemaker and social reformer. Sadat was prompted to action after a 15-year-old girl committed suicide due to cyberbullying. He started a social organization called ‘Narail Volunteers’ with the help of his friends. This organization won the ‘Youth Innovation Challenge 2019’ of the non-governmental organization Action Aid and got the funding he needed to get his project off the ground. Sadat Rahman has been presented the Joy Bangla Youth Award for his work in 2018.
The International Children’s Peace Prize was presented to Sadat Rahman in The Hague on 13 November 2020 by none other than Human Rights Activist and Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai. The prize consists of a trophy and a sum of Euro 100,000 which is to be used for the financing of projects. In 2019, the Swedish child environmentalist Greta Thunberg and Cameroonian Divina Malam jointly received the prestigious award.
Ms. Rouma, Sadat Rahman (in Cyberbully Tshirt) Mr Biswajit Roy.
Sadat Rahman is a man of many talents. He is a phenomenal, vigorous and courageous young man with a keen sense of humor and always wears a friendly smile. This bright 17-year-old studies Arts-Humanities at the Abdul Hai City College in his hometown of Narail in south-western Bangladesh, where he has embarked on the initiative to tackle the emerging problem of cyberbullying in Bangladeshi society. Sadat is very pleased that he was able to make a small indirect contribution to the Bangladesh Vision 2021 – Digital Bangladesh. He even had the opportunity to meet the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina some time ago. Prime Minister Hasina’s ICT advisor, Sajeeb Wazed referred to Rahman as one of the country’s silent young changemakers.
Sadat’s philosophy is that one should “believe in yourself and not to wait for anyone, not even the government to assist you” Take the initiative and get moving, kindred spirits will automatically join. When asked where he gets his inspiration from, he responded with a smile and said “the creator gave me a brain and I am making good use of it.”
Sadat Rahman receives a lot of co-operation from the local police superintendent. He mentioned that whenever he would approach the police with evidence of wrongdoing, the police is willing listen and takes the necessary action. Sadat also noted that when teenagers are facing problems, they hesitate to approach parents, the police or other adults. They would rather prefer to approach their peers. However, teenagers need emotional assistance and mental support. When Cyber Teens is unable to offer the needed assistance, these teenagers are referred to the professionals. Sadat added that it is often sufficient to lend a listening ear that would allow them feel safe so that they will confide in you.
The police may not always have the time to do this and there is also the element of shame among those suffering from cyberbullying. As for the phenomena of Cyberbullying, parents and police are not trained to deal with such problems, and at the moment, The Criminal Investigation Department of the Dhaka Police(CID) is the only institution that investigates Cybercrime. Cyberbullying starts with parents buying their children fancy mobile phones, games and PCs but they are not always aware of the capabilities of these devices. Therefore, a balanced approach is required when considering what type of device that a parent should get for their child.
As a result of parents lacking the needed insight, they are unable to monitor their children’s activities and are unable to guide, instruct and protect them from the potential dangers in cyberspace. Cyber teens seek to fill that void. According to Sadat Rahman, there are four cardinal agents that ought to be considered in helping to prevent teenagers from falling prey to cyberbullying. These are Awareness, Empathy, Counselling and Action. These are the main drivers.
Cyberbullying needs to be combated, according to Sadat Rahman, “it is a war and I am a warrior.” To date, the Cyber Teens app has reached about 450,000 teenagers and brought 300+ cases of cyberbullying before the police of which eight cases have been arrested. Evidence has thus proven that the cyber teen approach is effective. Furthermore, Sadat Rahman has been promised support from international organizations, including Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency.
Sadat Rahman, the man, can be characterized as energetic, unfazed, dedicated, genuine, good-humored, cheerful, jovial and charming. Sadat Rahman concluded his discourse at the prize remittance ceremony by stating: “I feel proud to represent Bangladesh to the world with my work, my ultimate success would be when one day, no one will need to use my app and there will be no cyberbullying anymore.”
It has been an enormous pleasure working briefly with Sadat Rahman. We wish him every success with his present and future projects.
HRH Princess Norodom_Arunrasmy – Picture by Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer.
Saturday, 21 November 2020, Kingdom of Cambodia: His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia issued a royal warrant appointing his half-sister, HRH Princess Norodom Arunrasy, Counsellor in the Royal Government with the rank of Deputy Prime Minister.
Princess Arunrasmy’s (65) appointment was made at the behest of Prime Minister, Samdech Techo Hun Sen as indicated in the regal fiat.
The princess is already member in His Majesty’s Supreme Royal Council. She is a former diplomat having served as her country’s Ambassador to Malaysia from 2005 to 2018. On 23 April 2018, she was appointed senator. She was born in 1955 as the last daughter of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk and Mom Manivan Phaninvong, a Laotian lady.
Arunrasmy is married to former Royal Khmer Ambassador Keo Puth Rasmey in second nuptials, and is mother to five children, including Prince Sisowath Norivong, Prince Sisowath Nando and Sisowath Sirikith Nathalie from the first wedlock, and Princess Ponita Rasmey as well as Prince Keo Khemoni Rasmey from the current marriage.
The new Deputy Prime Minister speaks in additional to her native Khmer, some Laotian and Thai, and fluent English and French.
