On Friday, December 18th, the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the Netherlands, H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Ward, hosted and moderated a webinar regarding the current status of and future of water management in the Panama Canal. With opening remarks from H.E. Ms. Erika Mouynes, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Panama, and from Ambassador Carmen Vergara, Executive Director of PROPANAMA, the importance of sustainable investments for the future was greatly stressed. As a global commerce hub and gateway to the Americas’ so the status of infrastructure in Panama is a matter of great levity.
The Panel consisted of Eng. Ilya Espino de Marotta and Eng. Jose Reyes, respectively the Deputy Administrator of the Panama Canal and the Vice President of the Office of Water Projects.
The current status of environmental and water management policies was reviewed, with special emphasis placed on the changing aquatic landscape as a result of climate change. Rainfall has been significantly reduced in Panama in recent years, but more extreme in occurrence. Due to the operations not just of the canal, but also to the hydropower projects and potable water plants that keep a large portion of Panama’s population supplied, it is essential that further work be done to manage and maintain sufficient levels of freshwater in reservoirs.
In recent years many ideas have been proposed including transfer of water from the Bayano watershed to Lake Gatun, the creation of a new reservoir, increasing the maximum depth of the canal up to 100 meters, and the construction of desalination plants. While these are all viable ideas, the project that will be taking place in coming years primarily aims to increase water storage capacity, create additional fresh tributary inflows to reservoirs, and to increase control of waterflow.
The Panama Canal is currently accepting applications from contractors to be prequalified for the bidding process of the project. Additionally, while a preference was expressed for single party contractors, the idea of working with consortia for a joint venture is being considered if a party can present a clear case. Applications currently close on January 26 and further announcements will be made in early 2021 and will be able to be viewed at pancanal.com.
By H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
One of the crucial aspects of work of the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands is the diligent preservation of the historical memory of the Great Victory brought to us by the brave soldiers of the Red Army who struggled against the nazi invaders. During the Great Patriotic War, 865 of them lost their lives on the territory of the Netherlands and neighboring countries, including 101 Soviet soldiers who fell victims of Nazism in the Nazi concentration camp Amersfoort.
The memorial cemetery in Leusden is the only Soviet military burial ground in the Netherlands. It was opened in 1948. Above each of the 865 graves there is a white tombstone with an engraved name of a deceased soldier on it. Most of them have only one inscription: ‘The Unknown Soviet Soldier’. In the center of the memorial stands a 10-meters white marble stele.
An incremental replacement of all the 865 gravestones in the cemetery, caused by the necessity of putting the new identification data on the buried soldiers, as well as by the Dutch legislation prescribing the replacement of gravestones every 60 years, is planned for the period of 2019 – 2021. The project is jointly financed by the Russian and Dutch authorities, as well as by the private investors. In 2019-2020 the Russian side has allocated 200.000 euros for these purposes. The work is carried out by the War Graves Fund of the Netherlands. The first stage of work was completed in 2019, the second – in December this year. By now 581 tombstones were replaced.
“The Soviet Field of Honor” is of a particular value for the Russian authorities. Ensuring the preservation of the Soviet military graves in the foreign countries and providing proper care for them is one of the key elements of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s foreign policy activities. This work is carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the other Federal agencies and has both historical-political and humanitarian dimension. One of its priorities is the identification of all the deceased Russian soldiers, so that there were no unmarked graves left. The main goal to be achieved lies in a dictum ‘Nobody is Forgotten, Nothing is Forgotten’.
As it was said by the great Russian historian and writer, “without knowing the past, it is impossible to understand the true meaning of the present and the goals of the future”.
The military-memorial work of the Russian Embassy in the Netherlands is aimed at preserving the historical memory of the Great Victory and of those because of whom it became possible. This is Russia’s sacred duty to its ancestors, who were deceased in a great historical battle against fascism during the World War II for the peaceful future of their children and grandchildren.
We are very gratitude for the work done by the “Soviet Field of Honour” Fund, and the prominent journalist Remco Reiding, for their work of identifying fallen Soviet soldiers and searching for their living relatives. Every time when it is possible to remove the inscription “unknown Soviet soldier” from the tombstone and replace it with the real name of a person – is an extremely significant event for all of us.
The latest information that was recently discovered by Remco Reiding is of major importance, as it allows us to complement our history with the names of our true heroes who remained obscure until this moment.
By this work we will continue to do everything possible to combat the falsification of history, to preserve the good reputation of victorious soldiers and to prevent a revision of the internationally recognized results of the defeat of Nazism.
Monday, 7 December 2020, Accra, Republic of Ghana: Incumbent President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo was re-elected in the first round of general elections with a percentage of 51.30% for his New Patriotic Party. Having reached over fifty percent of the cast votes, President Akufo-Addo (b. 29 March 1944) is considered the winner without a need for a second round for him to be installed another final presidential term. As the country’s fifth president he is the head of state and government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. President Akufo-Addo’s first term began on 7 January 2017.
The President of Ghana resides at Jubilee House in Accra. According to the Ghanaian constitution the president must be sworn in by the country’s Chief Justice at Independence Square located in the capital with the participation of members of the state’s citizenry.
President Akufo-Addo is married to First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo (née Griffiths-Randolph), and sired five daughters.
Nana Akufo-Addo’s policies have been focusing on providing state-financed education, increasing the country’s health through sports and awareness of malignant diseases, foreign investment and the development of Ghanaian infrastructure.
Czech Deputy Foreign Minister, Michaela Marksová Tominová & Chargé d’affairs Shafi Newaimi Al Hajri – Picture by Qatari Embassy in Czechia.
Wednesday, 9 December 2020, Prague, Czech Republic: The State of Qatar intends to open a diplomatic mission in Czechia. Albeit there is not yet a chancery, the mission is currently being headed by Shafi Newaimi Al Hajri in the capacity of Chargé d’affaires ad interim. The Embassy of Qatar in Germany, until now responsible for Czechia, has already set up a mechanism to allow the opening of a separate mission in Prague.
During a working visit to Prague, Chargé d’affaires Shafi Al Hajri was welcomed at Černín Palace, seat of the Czech Foreign Ministry, by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Michaela Marksová Tominová. The bilateral relations were discussed as well as other the upcoming general elections in Qatar scheduled for October 2021 at the initiative of the country’s Emir, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Monday, 14 December 2020, Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, Germany: Mayor of Frankfurt, Peter Feldmann received Ivan Khotulev in his capacity as novel Consul General of the Russian Federation for his inaugural visit. The talks focused on the Corona pandemic and the associated difficulties in international exchange. Feldmann stressed how important it was not to let the thread of communication break even in difficult times.
Feldmann himself wanted to make a trip to Moscow earlier this year, however it could not take place because of the pandemic. “I would have liked to take part in the Moscow Urban Forum and meet with Moscow Mayor Sergei Semyonovich Sobyanin. I hope that a trip to Moscow will be possible again in the near future,” the city leader emphasized as per statement below.
Frankfurt is home to a representative office of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation as well as an information and business centre of the Novosibirsk region. Messe Frankfurt is also the organiser of the techtextil trade fair in Moscow. There are around 286 companies in Frankfurt that originate from Russia. Currently, about 3400 Russian citizens live in Frankfurt.
Consul General Ivan Khotulev was born in Bonn on 26 February 1960. He joined the diplomatic service of the Soviet Union, and later Russia after studying international relations. His assignments took him to various missions abroad, mainly in German-speaking countries. He was Consul General in Hamburg from 2013 to 2018. Since November, he has represented Russia in Frankfurt. As Consul General he is responsible for the Bundesländer Hesse and Baden-Württemberg.
Photo: Antrittsbesuch des russischen Generalkonsul Ivan Khotulev bei Oberbürgermeister Peter Feldmann, aufgenommen am Montag (14.12.2020) in Frankfurt am Main. Photography: Salome Roessler / lensandlight
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
