H.E. Mrs. Beti Jacheva is the newly appointed ambassador of the Republic of North Macedonia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. She presented her credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander on June 2nd, 2021.
Mrs. Jacheva has a background in law as she was enrolled in the Law Faculty Iustinianus Primus of the Saints Cyril and Methodius University in her home country. During her five years of education here, she was briefly involved in the Association of Commercial Lawyers from the Republic of Macedonia. She was the assistant to the Secretary-General of the Association for a year. After graduating in 1995, she spent a short period in the American Bar Association’s Central and Eastern European Law initiative office in Skopje as a legal assistant.
In 1996, Mrs. Jacheva joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and began her long journey in diplomacy.
She spent her first ten years in the MOFA’s Directorate for International Law. From an associate, she was promoted to expert associate and later Head of Unit in 1998. Towards the end of this period, she was the Head of Sector for International Law and Consular Affairs.
In 2006, Mrs. Jacheva embarked on her first assignment abroad at the Mission of North Macedonia to the EU. When she returned from Brussels in 2010, she was appointed Head of Sector in the EU Directorate. She continued to be deeply involved in EU affairs from this point onwards.
Mrs. Jacheva returned to Brussels in 2013, but this time as the Deputy Head of Mission of the Mission of North Macedonia to the EU. After taking up the position for three years, she returned home to become Deputy Director at the EU Directorate in 2016. Two years later, she was promoted to Director. She took up this role until her current term in the Netherlands.
In addition to English, Mrs. Jacheva also has some proficiency in French.
The diplomat community in The Hague sends a warm welcome to Ambassador Jacheva and wishes her and her family all the best in her new term.
H.E. Dr. Eniola Olaitan Ajayi is the newly appointed Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. She presented her credentials to His Majesty King Willem-Alexander on June 2nd, 2021.
Before her career in politics and diplomacy, Dr. Ajayi was exceptionally active in the field of optometry. She acquired a Bachelor of Science in Optometry from the University of Benin in 1986 and went on to work at 445 Nigeria Airforce Base Hospital in Lagos. Here, she operated as an Ocular Pathologist and Chief Optometrist for over twenty years. During this time, Dr. Ajayi also pursued higher education. She earned a Master of Philosophy in Ocular Pathology in 1994 from the University of London and a Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of Benin in 2002. Due to her outstanding academic performance, she was the sole recipient of the A. H Bygott Postgraduate Studentship Award of 1993 and was the best graduating student of the Special Doctor of Optometry class of 2000.
After completing her education, in addition to committing herself to her position at the hospital, Dr. Ajayi also made multiple social contributions within the field of optometry. She was the chairperson for World Optometry Day in 2004 and 2005, as well as chairperson for the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) from 2005 to 2013.
In 2007, Dr. Ajayi became a sole proprietor as she opened up her eye clinic, Enny Eye Care. In the few years that she ran her business, she was named Optometrist of the Year and NOA Chairman of the Year in 2009. In the following year, she was also awarded the title Eye-care Personality of the Year. Subsequently, in 2011, she also became a Fellow of the NOA. During this time, Dr. Ajayi continued her social contributions, namely being the Secretary of the Save a Sight and Vision Foundation, which is an NGO of the NOA’s Lagos branch. She has held this position from early 2009 until now.
Dr. Ajayi finally entered the political realm in 2010 when she was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology of Ekiti State. During her three-year term, she won the Top Elegance Magazine Award for Best Commissioner of the Year in 2012, as well as the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Benin Alumni Worldwide in the same year. Following this role, she was the Honourable Commissioner for Environment of Ekiti State from 2013 to 2015. Towards the end of her term, she was also the candidate of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) for the Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1, which was part of the House of Representative Elections in March 2015.
Not long afterward did Dr. Ajayi shift towards foreign service. In 2017, she embarked on her first term abroad as Ambassador of Nigeria to Hungary, with concurrent accreditation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. As a result of her dedication to this role, she was presented with the Distinguished Ambassador of the Year Award by Afe Babalola Beneficiaries Worldwide in 2019. Additionally, her embassy was adjudged the best by Nigerians in Diaspora in the following year. Towards the end of her term, she also received the Best Ambassador Award from the African Forum in 2021. Even when she was out of the country, Dr. Ajayi continued to be active in the NOA as she became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2019.
H.E. Dr Eniola Ajayi, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Only a month after concluding this term in early 2021, Dr. Ajayi came to The Hague to begin her new term as Ambassador to the Netherlands. She is continuing to work towards several goals she set out to achieve in international diplomacy. These include inclusion for Nigerian citizens in host countries, investment drives, image building for Nigeria, amongst others.
One particular idea Dr. Ajayi has in mind is advancing a Citizens Charter, through which the interests and rights of the weakest are protected. The life of every Nigerian – able or vulnerable, young or old, male or female, Muslim or Christian, etc. would count. With this, she believes a greater Nigeria is possible.
When there is time to spare, Dr. Ajayi loves to read, listen to music such as jazz and gospel, and write. She usually creates poems or writes about contemporary issues; some of her publications include Nigeria: Land of Opportunities (2018), Arts, Culture and Tourism in Nigeria (2019), and Food, Culture and Cuisine in Nigeria (2020). Her latest work with the Embassy of Nigeria in Hungary won the Nigeria Export Promotion Council Award earlier this year.
Aside from her aforementioned hobbies, Dr. Ajayi is also passionate about empowering and motivating the youth. This is why she contributed to several schools throughout the years, including the Chrisland School at Ladipo Oluwole, Ikeja, Lagos, as Chairperson of the parent-teacher association from 2005 to 2008. She has also been a member of the Board of Governors at Olashore International School from 2006 until now. Furthermore, she was the long-time President of the Christ School Ado – Ekiti Alumni Association 75/80 Set from 2005 to 2013. Additionally, Dr. Ajayi is devoted to supporting pregnant and expecting parents through Church Ministry.
The diplomat community in The Hague sends a warm welcome to Ambassador Ajayi and wishes her all the best in her new term.
The artwork is a painting titled Ngayuku Mamaku Ngura (My Father’s Country), created in 2017 by Kunmanara – an Indigenous Australian artist and senior woman of law in her region. This work depicts an important law site near the remote community of Pipalyatjara, in South Australia.
“This painting and its story is about the transmission of knowledge and the law to the younger generations,” H.E. Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus said in his remarks at the ceremony. “Today is an opportunity to showcase Australia’s indigenous culture and art, as well as to highlight the importance of reconciliation and our recommitment to taking action on gender justice. We encourage international organisations, like the ICC, to adopt their own strategies that institutionalise an awareness of indigenous issues in their policymaking”, the Ambassador added.
Expressing the Court’s gratitude to the government of Australia for this donation, ICC President Judge Piotr Hofmański stated: “With its close connection to indigenous culture as well as gender aspects of the law, this painting will no doubt inspire many reflections on how to ensure the inclusiveness of the international criminal justice system, as we go forward. We are truly appreciative of such a thoughtful gift, which reflects Australia’s longstanding support of the Court.”
During the ceremony, held in the presence of the Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims Pieter de Baan, the Government of Australia also announced a pledge of AUD$ 300,000 to the Trust Fund, specifically earmarked to the Ntaganda case with a focus on survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Australia signed the Rome Statute – the Court’s founding treaty – on 9 December 1998 and deposited its instrument of ratification on 1 July 2002. This donation highlights Australia’s support to the Court and the joint efforts deployed in the fight against the impunity of those who perpetrate the most serious crimes that affect the international community as a whole.
Since the move to its new permanent premises in December 2015, the ICC received artwork donations from the Governments of Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Japan, Republic of Korea, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Slovenia, and Tunisia, representing their cultural heritage as well as reflecting the mandate of the Court.
Exhibition in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, the Netherlands
The summer exhibition at the Dutch Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (the national museum of antiquities) presents Malta’s rich prehistoric culture: a world of temples and tombs. The temples of Malta are the most ancient free-standing buildings in the world, 1,000 years older than the pyramids.
In Leiden, archaeological finds from burial sites and sacred places will show how much the builders, Malta’s prehistoric farmers, were capable of achieving thousands of years ago. Their great engineering skills, their rituals, their religion, and the abrupt end of their way of life are still shrouded in a veil of mystery. The exhibition will run from 5 June until 31 October 2021. Tickets must be reserved prior to your visit at www.rmo.nl
‘Temples of Malta’ is a survey exhibition about the culture of Malta’s prehistoric islanders from 3600 to 2500 BC, with a special emphasis on megalithic temples. A video feed from a robot camera hovering over temple models creates the illusion of visiting in person. The displays will also include parts of temple decorations, tools, decorated pottery, and jewellery. The final object in the exhibition will be one of the smallest and perhaps the most relevant to the present day: a two-centimetre-high sculpture from 3200 BC. Found at Tarxien Temples, it represents two people in a loving embrace – a timeless expression of the human need for contact and affection.
The exhibition design plays with the contrast between Malta’s colossal monuments and the small scale and intimacy of the objects found there. Large but sometimes also remarkably small, Malta’s famous ‘fat ladies’ owe that name to the lush curves of their bodies. But although these figures are usually seen as women, and sometimes even as mother goddesses, recent theories tell us they may well be men or asexual persons. The figures were found in graves and temples. Three examples will be on display in Leiden. The exhibition will explore the questions surrounding their appearance, their meaning, and their gender identity.
Temple culture
The group of Maltese islands, of which Malta and Gozo are the largest, lies just south of Sicily. They form a small country – about twice the area of Washington, DC, or slightly smaller than the Isle of Wight – but their earliest history is grand and intriguing.
Malta was first settled around 5900 BC, probably by farmers from Sicily.
Because of their isolation in the Mediterranean, the islands developed their own unique and fascinating culture between 3600 and 2500 BC (the Temple period).
The largest and most striking remains are complex temple buildings from sites such as the UNESCO-recognized Ġgantija, Tarxien, Ħaġar Qim, Mnajdra, Ta’ Ħaġrat and Skorba, as well as underground burial sites (hypogea) carved out of rock. The largest stone is more than six metres long and weighs over twenty tonnes. Even now, little is known about the exact role of the temples or the rituals performed there. After almost 1,000 years of prosperity, the islands fell on harder times, and the temples and sculptures were deliberately damaged, broken, and burned. For a century, the islands appear to have remained uninhabited. This sudden end to the temple culture may have resulted from overpopulation and exhaustion of natural resources. Perhaps Maltese civilization was the victim of its own success.
Exhibition
Temples of Malta will run from 5 June to 31 October 2021.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a booklet (Dutch and English) and a programme of talks and guided tours, available both in the museum and online. Tickets must be reserved prior to your visit at www.rmo.nl.
The exhibition was made by Heritage Malta and the National Museum of Archaeology in Malta, in partnership with the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. It features objects from Malta’s national collections and museums. The exhibition is supported by the Malta Tourism Authority. The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden is supported by the BankGiro Loterij.
Tuesday, 1 June 2021, Paris, French Republic: Erstwhile Australian Minister for Finance (2013 to 2020), and Western Australian Senator for the Liberal Party (2007 to 2020), Mathias Cormann, took office today as the first Australian citizen to serve in the capacity as Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Mathias Cormann (born on 20 September 1970 in Eupen, Belgium) is a long-time Liberal politician, born and raised in Belgium’s German-speaking community. His seven year and 42-day tenure as Minister for Finance was the longest hitherto in Australian history, spanning the Abbott, Turnbull, and Morrison governments.
Additionally he served as Minister for the Public Service from 2018 to 2019, Special Minister of State from 2015 to 2016, and again from 2017 to 2018 and since 2019 until his governmental resignation in late 2020. Cormann served as the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Vice-President of the Executive Council. On 12 March 2021 he won the elections held to succeed to the helm of the OECD after the terms of Mexican economist and former chief of diplomacy, José Ángel Gurría Treviño.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; in French: Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Économiques, OCDE) is an intergovernmental economic organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress, and world trade. The OECD’s headquarters are located at the Château de la Muette in Paris, France.
Generally, OECD members are high-income economies with a very high Human Development Index (HDI) and are regarded as developed countries. As of 2017, the OECD member countries collectively comprised 62.2 % of global nominal GDP (US$49.6 trillion) and 42.8 % of global GDP (Int$54.2 trillion) at purchasing power parity. The OECD is an official United Nations observer.
The OECD does not have the power to enforce its decisions, which further require a unanimous vote from its members, however, it is recognised as a highly influential publisher of mostly economic data through publications as well as annual evaluations and rankings of member countries
In 1948, the OECD originated as the ‘Organisation for European Economic Co-operation’ (OEEC), to help administer the Marshall Plan in Western European countries. In 1961, the OEEC was reformed into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and membership was extended to non-European states
In January 2018, Secretary-General Cormann was awarded with the rank of ‘Grand Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit’ of the Federal Republic of Germany for his work “in advancing German-Australian relations”.
Secretary-General Mathias Cormann speaks fluent German, French, Dutch and English. He holds law degrees from the University of Namur as well as the KU Leuven, both in Belgium.
H.E. Froyla T’zalam new Governor General of Belize, picture courtesy of Amandala Newspaper.
By Roy Lie Atjam
Belmopan, 26th May 2021. Froyla T’zalam was sworn in as the first female and third Governor-General of Belize succeeding Sir Colville Young. H.E. Lady FroylaT’zalamis the newly installed head of state for Belize — the direct representative of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Lady Froyla T’zalam, an educator, is the first indigenous woman of Maya descent to be named Governor-General in Belize and the Commonwealth.
Prime Minister John Briceño said T’zalam brings with her more than her masters in rural development and her anthropology degree. She brings more than the total of her work as an academic, her scholarly publications and decades of experience as a community organiser – all of which makes her fully qualified for her new role.
H.E. Tzalam has played a pivotal role in defending and promoting the indigenous Mayan culture and in the development of the African-Maya History Project. The inaugural ceremony had a profound historical significance with the Acting Chief Justice Michelle Arana, a Garifuna (Black Caribs) woman, standing side by side with T’zalam (Maya) to administer the oath of allegiance.
Acting Chief Justice, Michelle Arana administers the oath of allegiance to the new Governor General of Belize.
In her congratulatory messages for the new Governor-General Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General, Commonwealth of Nations stated:
Her Excellency’s background is impressive. Whilst she is a rural development and resource management specialist, her extensive work in enhancing education across the country has been truly remarkable and inspiring. This has been rooted in her strong academic background, which has endowed her with a deep understanding of the communities that make up the Belizean population. On behalf of the Commonwealth, I wish to extend my very best wishes to the new Governor-General as she embarks on this exciting journey and takes on this great responsibility.
The Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management, SATIIM, issued a release congratulating T’zalam, its former Executive Director, as Belize’s First Mopan Governor-General. The release says that this is a significant moment in the history of our country and the history of the indigenous peoples of Belize. T’zalam first collaborated with SATIIM as a researcher and then back in 2014 became the executive director of the organization. The release ends by saying that T’zalam brings a unique sense of history and intercultural skill to her role as Governor-General and SATIIM expresses sincere gratitude for her service to her people, all Belizeans, and our country.
In her inaugural address to the nation, T’zalam paid tribute to Sir Colville and his wife for their unwavering commitment to Belize for nearly three decades of service. I want to thank the Prime Minister John Briceño and his Cabinet for their trust in me to serve in this high office, she said. I also want to thank the many Belizeans who have expressed their delight and support over social media and personal notes to my appointment. T’zalam told the country that with her new platform, she intends to be a champion not only for the Mayan people but for all citizens of Belize.
Although we were not financially wealthy, we had our values, she said. My parents did not raise us to see ourselves as poor. We had food and shelter. I was surrounded by family with lots of rooms to run around, as well as chores to teach me how to be responsible. She said: these chores imbibed in me an appreciation for the benefits of hard work. While the installation of a Mopan woman as a Governor-General can be seen as a symbolic milestone, it should not be seen as wilfully ignoring our colonial past. Rather, it is a new chapter in Belize’s evolution as a country for all and by all.
The new Governor-General said she intends to carry out the constitutional role of her office with the required diligence. I intend to fully build metaphorical bridges in this country, uniting all of us in the rural areas and the towns. I will use my interest in strengthening local communities to build a nation that can overcome challenges.
H.E. Lady Froyla T’zalam ended by speaking of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is still being faced by the world. As all your faces are hidden by a mask, it is a visible sign that we are still in a pandemic. I wish to express heartfelt condolences to the families and friends who have lost loved ones to the disease. We must continue to be vigilant, concluded the newly appointed Governor-General.
Australia makes AUD$ 300,000 contribution to Trust Fund for Victims, earmarked to Ntaganda reparations
The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is pleased to announce that the Government of Australia has pledged AUD$ 300,000 to the TFV. The contribution has been specifically earmarked to the Ntaganda case with a focus on survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Australia has been a consistent supporter of the TFV over the past decade, contributing over EUR 1,430 million to its mandate.
Speaking on occasion of this event, H.E. Mr Matthew E.K. Neuhaus, Ambassador of Australia to the Netherlands said “Australia is a longstanding and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court. We hope that our contribution to the Trust Fund for Victims, with its particular focus on reparations for victims and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, underscores that Australia’s commitment to gender justice – at home and abroad – is backed by action.”
In July 2019 Bosco Ntaganda was found guilty of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2002-2003. The Reparations Order for victims delivered in March 2021 found Mr Ntaganda liable for US$ 30 million. As the convicted has been found to be indigent, the TFV is seeking to financially complement the reparation awards. This contribution by Australia is therefore, a vital step towards helping ensure victims of Mr Ntaganda’s crimes receive the reparations that are their right.
Baroness Arminka Helić, the TFV Board member representing the Western European and other States Parties, welcomed the contribution saying “This contribution by Australia sends a strong message of support to the survivors of SGBV who suffered due to despicable actions by Bosco Ntaganda. The impact of these terrible crimes includes a complex, long-lasting and devastating trauma. Giving a voice to the survivors, standing with them and providing real assistance is invaluable. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the TFV I express my gratitude to the government of Australia.”
Thanking the Government of Australia TFV Executive Director Pieter de Baan said “Australia’s engagement with the TFV is taking a welcome next turn, earmarking their contribution to reparations in Ntaganda, and specifically for the benefit of SGBV survivors. The TFV is proud to work alongside Australia in ensuring justice for these victims and looks forward to continuing to do so.”
In its reparations order in the Ntaganda case, the Trial Chamber ordered collective reparations with an individual component. The Chamber instructed the TFV to develop a draft implementation plan for reparations, which is due for submission by 8 September 2021.
Today, the Government of Australia also unveiled a piece of art it has donated to be placed at the premises of the International Criminal Court as a symbol of its commitment to the Rome Statute and the fight against impunity.
The Ambassador of Colombia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr Fernando Antonio Grillo Rubiano, accompanied by Professor Leonardo Alfonso, Coordinator for Colombia at the IHE, and Laura Sánchez, Second Secretary of the Embassy, held a meeting in Delft with the Rector of the IHE Delft Institute, Eddy Moors.
The purpose of the meeting was to celebrate IHE Delft’s ties with Colombia, and highlight the results achieved by IHE in water diplomacy, and management of water resources in Colombia.
The Colombian Ambassador, Fernando Grillo, stated that the Government of Colombia values joint research initiatives, such as the course held in January 2021, on ‘Computer tools and citizen science to improve measurements of water sustainability and food security’ organized by IHE Delft and the Julio Garavito Colombian School of Engineering, with financial support from the Netherlands, through Nuffic and its Orange Knowledge Program (OKP).
For his part, the Rector of the IHE, Eddy Moors, indicated the interest in strengthening current alliances, such as the Memorandum of Understanding “Academic Research Partnership” between Colombia and the Netherlands; as well as in deepening the work of IHE Delf in education for Sustainable Management of Water and Food Production in Latin America.
The meeting concluded with the commitment to work together to further consolidate the links between the IHE Delf Institute and Colombia through the possible development of joint research and academic programs.
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili – Picture by UNWTO.
Wednesday, 26 May 2021, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: The World Tourism Organization announced the establishment of a regional bureau in Riyadh, during the tourism sector recovery summit held in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism stated that the summit will discuss the most important issues facing the re-initiation and sustainability of the recovery of the tourism sector, while Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb stressed the need for cooperation to enable the tourism sector to recover and build a more sustainable and resilient future.
Deputy Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al Saud – Picture by UNWTO.
At a ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili was joined by Her Royal Highness Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism for Strategy and Investment, and the Kingdom’s Minister for Tourism, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb to officially open the bureau. They were also joined by tourism ministers from across both Middle East and from every other global region, as well as by leaders from the private sector. The new office will serve as a hub for UNWTO to coordinate policy and initiatives across its 13 Member States in the region. This includes a number of tourism projects and products, among them the new “Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO”, launched on the occasion of the opening of the Regional Office. Alongside this, Riyadh will also be home to an expanded UNWTO International Tourism Academy, providing opportunities for people of all backgrounds from across the region, including women and youth.
United Nations’ Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated UNWTO on the occasion, saying “I believe that this Office will help the Middle East region recover its tourism sector as well as support the growth of rural tourism development worldwide.”
Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Minister for Tourism, added: “We are thrilled to host the new Regional Office in Saudi Arabia. This demonstrates our commitment to working with our partners at the UNWTO to develop a strong industry based on the principles of sustainability and opportunities for all, across the region and globally.”
Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) informs the public that a new facility has been developed jointly by the MRA and the Corporate and Business Registration Department (CBRD) for online VAT Registration of a company on incorporation under a single process.
While making an online application to the CBRD for incorporation of a company, the applicant will, henceforth, be required to provide details relating to VAT registration and will be registered by the MRA for VAT purposes, where applicable. Immediately after its registration as a company by the CBRD, the MRA will inform the company of its VAT registration status and the assigned VAT Registration Number.
Where a company has been VAT-Registered, the effective date of the VAT registration will be: i. the date the company will start business as declared in the application; or ii. the date of incorporation, whichever is the later.
Where a company has not been VAT-Registered on incorporation and thereafter: i. becomes liable for compulsory VAT registration: or ii. wishes to be voluntarily VAT-Registered, the company will have to apply for VAT registration directly to the MRA.
