Immediate Action Needed to Prevent the Looming Disaster of the Safer Oil Tanker Moored off the Coast of Yemen

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Immediate Action Needed to Prevent the Looming Disaster of the Safer Oil Tanker Moored off the Coast of Yemen

By H.E. Ms. Sahar Ghanem, Ambassador of the Republic of Yemen to the Kingdom of The Netherlands.

Amidst the raging conflict in Yemen, the challenge of the Safer Oil Tanker emerges as one of the most hazardous risks to the environment safety in the Red Sea as a result of the potential oil spillage in the Red Sea at any moment.

Following expressing deep alarm, the United Nations Security Council called on 29 June, 2020, to immediately grant unconditional access for the United Nations technical experts to assess the tanker’s condition without overdue to prevent growing risk of possible rupture, explosion or even spillage. 

The threat of the floating Oil Tanker, moored off the coast of Yemen, does not only impose challenges to the geopolitical and strategic importance of the Red Sea,  but it rather represents a huge challenge that threatens the environment safety, leading to one of the largest environmental hazards in the world, after the unforgettable 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill disaster in Siberia – Russia.

On 18 July 2019, the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Mr. Mark Lowcock informed the UN Security Council of the growing threats of the deserted Safer Oil Tanker, warning of possible explosion or leakage of its loads [1.14 M barrels of crude oil]. In his briefing on the humanitarian situation in Yemen, he pointed out that such an incident would result to a disastrous crisis to the marine life in the Red Sea and maritime in the straits of Bab-AlMadeb and Suez Canal which are two significant water corridors to the world.

It is known that the Red Sea is home for some scarce invertebrates such as corals and 600 species of fish. Unless preventative measures are taken now and immediately to prevent oil spill or possible tanker explosion, we will concretely witness a disastrous incident leading to severe effect on the Red Sea marine environment, and on both biodiversity and livelihoods starting from Yemen and extending north to Suez Canal through Jobal strait and the Gulf of Suez and south through Bab-AlMadeb strait reaching even Hormoz strait through the Arabian sea.

Environment experts’ projections expect that 115 islands are vulnerable to the risk of oil pollution; 126,000 fishermen will lose their source of income, among them 76,000 fishmen are in Al Hodeidah governorate; 850 tons of fish stocks will be exposed to the danger of contamination and death in Yemen, in the Red Sea and in Bab Al-Mandam; more than 500 fish species are at high risk of disappearing; and 300 corals will certainly disappear as a result.

The problem emerged following the takeover of the Capital Sanaa on 21 September 2014, when Houthi militias implemented unilateral actions inter alia dissolving parliament and taking over Yemen’s government institutions, which have seriously escalated the situation, leading to illegitimate seizure of power “coup d’etat”, and eventually leading to current conflict in Yemen.

The floating storage and its connected offloading terminals have not been inspected or maintained since 2015 after Houthis militias took control of the area including port of Ras Isa to which the floating tanker is connected by terminals extending 9km off the coast of Yemen. 

Yemen’s internationally-recognized government has warned in many letters of evident corrosion and lack of maintenance, creating the conditions for serious environmental disaster. The Yemeni government made an urgent call for the UN to send inspection team to scale the risks.

Unfortunately, the UN inspection team was denied access to the floating tanker by the Houthi militias many times. The UN inspection team is tasked with the mission to provide the necessary inspection and put recommendations for the needed maintenance and continuing to create obstacles will refrain the team from reaching the tanker and delivering the urgent inspection. 

Lately, the Government of the Republic of Yemen repeated asserting the urgent emergency of the imminent catastrophe of the floating “Safer Oil Tanker”.  The government confirmed that “given the critical nature of the aging floating tanker’s situation, on 27 May 2020 leaks have been reported in the tanker causing water leaked into the tanker’s operational machineries raising the possibilities of the tanker rupturing, sinking or even exploding. 

Despite urgent fixing of leaking occurred, the deteriorating situation of the tanker threatens continuing eroding. As a result, on 15 July 2020, the UNSC held a session to debate latest urgent developments and called for urgent response to be taken by the Houthi militias as required by the inspection team. It is worth mentioning that the Houthis always show willingness to accept the inspection team just like the assurances made by the Houthis in August 2019 only to be withdrawn right before the inspection team was due to board the tanker. 

The Yemeni government has always approved all relevant initiatives recommended by the UN to allow addressing the serious matter and proposing necessary urgent solutions to the Safer oil tanker, as part of the responsibility to the humanitarian and economic measures proposed by the office of the UN Special Envoy Mr. Martin Griffiths and as part of its responsibility to building and sustaining environment safety; however, the Houthi militias continue refusing to allow permissions to the UN inspection team to visit the oil tanker, noting that the situation of the Safer oil tanker is becoming extremely critical more than ever, causing increasing threats of possible oil spillage, tanker sinking and explosion at any moment.

In conclusion, the Safer Oil Tanker is a floating time-bomb and allowing inspection and maintains is the only possible means that will stop a serious catastrophe from happening. If incidents of explosion or even oil spill occur, that will lead to one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in the Red Sea. Action must be taken immediately while we have in hand an opportunity to protect the environments and spare the lives of millions of people in Yemen and the region from a looming tragedy. 

Also published:

https://www.vision-gt.eu/news/enviroment/immediate-action-needed-to-prevent-the-looming-disaster-of-the-safer-oil-tanker-moored-off-the-coast-of-yemen/

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1021526/immediate-action-needed-to-prevent-the-looming.html

https://www.21cir.com/2020/08/immediate-action-needed-to-prevent-the-looming-disaster-of-the-safer-oil-tanker-moored-off-the-coast-of-yemen/

The Looming Disaster of the Safer Oil Tanker Moored off the Coast of Yemen
Immediate Action Needed to Prevent the Looming Disaster of the Safer Oil Tanker Moored off the Coast of Yemen

Dr. Jesús Seade launches WTO campaign in Europe

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Dr. Jesús Seade launches WTO campaign in Europe

Dr. Jesús Seade Kuri and Ambassador Rogelio Granguillhome Morfin – Picture by SRE, Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores – Mexican Embassy to Germany.

9-30 July 2020: Mexican Undersecretary for North America at the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Jesús Seade Kuri was on a working visit to the World Trade Organisation headquartered in Geneva as well as to Berlin and Paris, for consultations and chiefly presentations towards his candidature to become the succeeding Director General of the WTO. 

In Berlin, Dr. Seade Kuri accompanied by Ambassador Rogelio Granguillhome Morfín held meetings with the Secretary of State of the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Miguel Berger; the head of the Economics and Development Unit of that ministry, Michael Klor-Berchtold; the Director General of International Economics of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, Eckhard Franz, and the Director of the International Economics Unit of the German Federal Chancellery, Helen Winter. On these occasions, Dr. Seade explained that it is a decisive moment to reform the WTO, through a work agenda that includes the matters for the XXI century as well as different public policies to promote global trade despite the effects on global value chains caused by the ongoing pandemic.

Before German business groups, including the Confederation of German Industry (BDI), the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), and the Confederation of the German Automotive Industry (VDA), Dr. Seade stressed that one of his priorities as director-general of the WTO would be to reactivate the capacity to reach agreements based on effective negotiations in the WTO between the main actors in world trade, combining experience, pragmatism and the search for innovative solutions.

The post at the helm of the WTO becomes vacant on 31 August 2020 when incumbent Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, steps down a year earlier as per his own behest. The candidature of Dr. Seade from Mexico was the first one received by the international organisation for the high office. 
Dr. Seade Kuri was the chief negotiator for the USMCA  that replaced the NAFTA treaty amongst Mexico, the USA and Canada. 

For further information:
Statement by the Mexican Foreign Office: https://www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/el-dr-jesus-seade-kuri-presenta-su-candidatura-a-la-direccion-general-de-la-omc-en-ginebra-berlin-y-paris?state=published&fbclid=IwAR2OW3dhCypFxqAW_rqZjuFjr5n-b14gH-sdNto45g0Q4vKlW1lONZxjGIc

Profile of Dr. Jesús Seade Kuri: https://lideresmexicanos.com/300/jesus-seade-kuri/

Pakistan’s Dr. Faisal introduced to Bavaria

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Pakistan’s Dr. Faisal introduced to Bavaria

Dr. Florian Herrmann and Dr. Mohammad Faisal – Picture by bayern.de, bayerische Staatskanzlei.

Monday, 27 July 2020, Munich, Free State of Bavaria, Germany: State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, Minister of State for Federal and European Affairs and Media, received the Pakistani head of diplomatic mission to Germany, Dr. Mohammad Faisal for a courtesy call in the framework of the ambassador’s first official visit to Bavaria since taking up the representation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Germany on 8 June 2020.

Focus of the conversation between the two dignitaries was the ongoing global pandemic, and ways to intensify economic ties between Pakistan and Bavaria, which is a state behind the strength of Germany’s economy. 
Dr. Faisal is a career diplomat who joined the foreign service in 1995. He has served as a top envoy for his country in Tanzania, Belgium and Saudi Arabia (Jeddah).

For further information:
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Germany: https://pakemb.de/dr-mohammad-faisal/, https://pakemb.de/ambassador-presents-credentials-to-the-president-of-germany/

Anders Ahnlid honoured with Order of the Lion

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Anders Ahnlid honoured with Order of the Lion

In the picture Ambassador Anders Ahnlid holding the Order of the Lion – Image by Swedish Embassy in Finland.

Tuesday, 4 August 2020, Helsinki, Republic of Finland: The Finnish Foreign Ministry’s Permanent State Secretary Matti Anttonen hosted a farewell luncheon for Ambassador Anders Ahnlid, Sweden’s top envoy in the neighbourly Nordic country for the last three and a half years. 

On behalf of President Sauli Niinistö, Grand Master of the State Orders, the orders’ Chancellor Dr. Jussi Nuorteva bestowed upon Ambassador Ahnlid the rank of  ‘Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland’ (in Finnish: Suomen Leijonan ritarikunta; in Swedish: Finlands Lejons orden).The Order of the Lion of Finland was founded on 11 September 1942. The Lion of Finland is awarded for civilian and military merit. Ambassador Ahnlid received the order’s highest rank. 

Ahnlid returns to Sweden in August 2020, and becomes Director General of the National Trade Board (Kammerskollegium) after serving as Ambassador to Finland, and previously Permanent Representative to the EU. 

For information about the appointment of Ambassador Ahnlid to lead the Swedish National Trade Board: 
https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2020/06/06/anders-ahnlid-to-promote-swedish-trade/

Building a Stronger Partnership

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Building a Stronger Partnership

By H.E. Mr Andrés Terán Parral, Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador to the Kingdom of The Netherlands.

In 2018, the decision was made to reopen the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It marked the beginning of a significant effort to revitalize and expand the political, diplomatic, and economic relations that exist between Ecuador and the Netherlands, as well as deepen our country’s engagement with the various international organizations situated in The Hague. Shortly thereafter, another incredibly significant moment occurred: the first official visit to the Netherlands by a President of the Republic of Ecuador in over 25 years. 

In July 2019, H.E. Lenin Moreno, President of the Republic of Ecuador, met with H.M. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, as part of a mission to promote new investment in Ecuador and activate commercial opportunities to further open the European market to Ecuadorian products. H.E. José Valencia, then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador, and H.E. Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, likewise met at the margins of this presidential visit, holding discussion on, inter alia, the advancement of negotiations to conclude a bilateral investment treaty. 

Taken collectively, these moments represent an important tour de force for the revitalization and enhancement of relations between Ecuador and the Netherlands, building on over 150 years of friendship and cooperation between our nations. Yet, this only represent the beginning of our mission to further strengthen and connect our countries. Presently, our new agenda can be divided into four key areas of engagement: commerce, cooperation, tourism, and multilateralism.

As concerns commerce, it should come as no surprise that the Dutch market presents itself as a vast source of opportunity for Ecuadorian products. Importantly, the Netherlands is one of our main European destinations for shrimp, cacao and cacao beans, fresh cut flowers, bananas and other tropical fruits. It is worth mentioning that Ecuador´s world famous rose industry was developed with technology brought by the Dutch nearly 40 years ago, truly representing the unique and important bond shared by our countries. Fresh cut roses represent 880 million dollars in exports each year, primarily through Schiphol Amsterdam Airport. 

On the other hand, Ecuador presents itself as an exceptionally fruitful prospect for investment for the Netherlands, primarily due to the vast natural resources found in our country. The Netherlands is the second largest Foreign Direct Investor in Ecuador, having invested $ 857 million dollars between 2008 and 2017. In 2018 alone, a total of $162.3 million dollars was invested in the areas of mining (40%), agribusiness, food and beverages (33%), energy and gas (14%) and services (13%).  

Additionally, the role of the European Union is of equal importance to Ecuador, which is why a Trade Agreement was concluded in 2017 for the purpose of enabling Ecuadorian products to be traded more equally in the European market, and for European consumers to be able to access exceptionally high quality products produced in Ecuador. It is worth mentioning that Ecuador is the largest supplier of tuna and shrimp to the Union. 

With regards to cooperation, Ecuador is primarily focused on consolidating mutual assistance with the Authorities of the Netherlands in terms of customs, cybersecurity and police matters, particularly in the fight against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking. Ecuadorian authorities work closely and diligently with their counterparts in the Netherlands to safeguard our societies from these modern threats. In this sense, the port of Rotterdam, being the main port of entry for almost all Ecuadorian exports to the European market, represents a strategic zone for our Authorities. With its cutting-edge technology and facilities dedicated to the handling of international cargo, Rotterdam is key area of cooperation for Ecuador. Likewise, certain Ecuadorian exports reach the Netherlands through Schiphol Amsterdam Airport, a port of entry that has an infrastructure that enables rapid coordination with logistics services for the distribution of our products across the European market and the world. 

As concerns tourism, we strive to make Ecuador a main destination for Dutch tourists so that they may be able to visit the famed country of the “Four Worlds”.

A name earned because of the four different regions and climates which exist within our borders. This reality is accompanied by a unique culture and biodiversity. The “Four Worlds” are composed of: the Coastal region, home to endless kilometres of sun-drenched beaches and untouched natural wonders; the Andes Region, where ancient mountains and snow-covered volcanoes create an eternal spring during the day, while providing the perfect cold at night; the Amazon region, where pure and untouched jungle composed of exceptional and endemic flora and fauna exist; and finally the Insular region which is home to a cradle of endemic and unique species, the Galapagos Islands. 

Particularly, the Galapagos Islands are known worldwide as “the Natural Laboratory of the Planet”, being the famed inspiration for the theory of evolution as described in ¨On the Origin of Species¨, one of the most important works of 19th century naturalist Charles Darwin. On these incredible islands you will be able to see nature undisturbed: giant tortoises, sea lions, penguins, and blue-footed boobies all coexisting in a special ecosystem unlike any other on Earth. A recent documentary titled “Galapagos: Hope for the Future”, directed by Evert Van den Bos, distinguished Dutch producer and director, was screened simultaneously in 2019 in Ecuador and the Netherlands, for the purpose of bringing more attention to the special nature of these islands. 

The final area of engagement is multilateralism. The Netherlands and Ecuador coincide on a common vision of the international order based on principles and values, the rule of law and a strong support for cooperation and diplomacy. As a result, our countries have a shared position on issues concerning human rights, gender equality, democracy and governance, as well as concerns the role of international institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, and the Organization for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons. We work closely to create a better world for all nations and peoples. 

This is all to say that Ecuador strives to work on strengthening and enhancing our dynamic relationship with the Netherlands, while focusing on working together for a better world, based on the rule of law and the values and principles of democracy, multilateralism, freedom and economic prosperity. It is my sincere view that in order to achieve these objectives, we must develop and enhance our engagement, facilitate understanding among our countries and building capacity in the aforementioned areas.  It is our great privilege at the Embassy of the Republic of Ecuador, to continue working on these objectives.


A Story of Uniqueness: Cacao and Roses from Ecuador

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A Story of Uniqueness: Cacao and Roses from Ecuador

By Fernando Echeverría Dávila, Second Secretary – Embassy of Ecuador in the Netherlands.

Ecuador’s unique situation at the centre of the world has gifted it with exceptional conditions as concerns its climate and biodiversity. Its diverse “Four Worlds” of Costa, Sierra, Amazonia and the Insular region all exist within the borders of one place: Ecuador. 

As a result of these rich conditions and unique geographical position, Ecuador has been fortunate in having a special and rich biodiversity which extends to a wide range of botanical species. In this context, I would like to share the story of two of the most important products which grow in our fertile land: cacao and roses.

The Spaniard conquistador Hernán Cortés, after having defeated and conquered the Aztec Empire, returned to Spain in 1528 with the recipe for xocoatl, a ceremonial beverage made from cacao beans. Upon arriving in Europe, nearly 500 years ago, it did not take long for Europeans to give the cacao plant an appropriate scientific name ¨Theobroma cacao¨, meaning ¨beverage of the gods¨. Today, among the various products of the cacao plant, chocolate remains the most popular.

Cacao farm in Ecuador. Photography by David Greenwood-Haigh.

Until recently, it was believed that chocolate originated in Mesoamerica, since it was there that Europeans came into contact with it first. Mayan artefacts and hieroglyphs describe their deities consuming chocolate. The study of Olmec and Aztec culture has also unearthed various uses for cacao in these societies, including rituals. Yet, the consumption of chocolate was not exclusive to these cultures. In South America, chocolate has been consumed by indigenous cultures since time immemorial.

Only a couple of years ago, an archaeological expedition to the Ecuadorian amazon rainforest discovered ceramic remains which contained the oldest traces of cacao identified to date, indicating that cacao and its by-products have been used for approximately 5,000 years in the area of land which we now call Ecuador. 

While the botanical origin of cacao may continue to be subject to long debates, it is undeniable that Ecuador produces one of its best varieties, denominated as ¨nacional¨ and known for its rapid fermentation. This variant is produced in special climate zones which allow for the beans produced by this cacao plant to produce a mild chocolate with great flavour and aroma, a fact which has resulted in its international recognition as a ¨cacao fino de aroma¨ or “arriba”. Only about 5% of the total world production of cacao is recognized as such, making it highly priced and sought after by the most exclusive chocolatiers. As concerns its effect on the environment, cacao is sustainable and important for the ecosystem that depends on its existence. 

Roses from Ecuador Photography by Albrecht Fietz.

In the same way that the New World gave cacao to the Old World, the latter brought the beautiful and splendid rose to our lands. Like our chocolate, Ecuadorian roses enjoy prestige around the world for their beauty, variety, colour intensity, stem length, and most importantly, their fine scent. Ecuadorian roses are planted at altitudes above 2,500 metres above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes, where spring is essentially eternal, receiving just the right amount and intensity of sunlight, a fact which is only made permissible by Ecuador’s position at the centre of the world. 

It is important to mention that without the dedication and tireless work of our farmers and producers, the production of cocoa and roses would not be possible.

In particular, as concerns Roses is specifically linked to the empowerment of women, as they play a fundamental role in their production, handling and control. 

An ideal gift to accompany Ecuadorian chocolate is a bouquet of roses from Ecuador. I wish to encourage you to taste, smell and experience our products, all the while remembering the special conditions which allow for Ecuador to produce these goods. Each bite tells a story which starts in Ecuador.

Main picture: Mitad del mundo, Pichincha, Quito. Photography by Ecuador Ministry of Tourism.

About the author:

Fernando Echeverría Dávila is an Ecuadorian career diplomat (Second Secretary). He began working in the Netherlands at the Consulate of Ecuador in The Hague in 2015, in the capacity of Vice-Consul. From August 2018, upon the reopening of the Embassy of Ecuador, Fernando was designated as the Deputy of the Mission, dealing with a wide range of bilateral, multilateral and legal affairs. 

Fernando holds some university degrees; he is Agronomist, Agribusiness Engineer, and Lawyer. Furthermore holds postgraduates degrees in Clean Development Mechanisms and Climate Change and a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy. 

Prior to joining the Ecuadorian Foreign Service, Fernando worked in NGOs concerned with environmental protection and rural development. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, where he has held positions in the following Departments:  Bilateral Relations with Asia and Africa, Bilateral Relations with Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean and Environment and Climate Change. 

When the economy inducts to suicide, who is the killer?

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When the economy inducts to suicide, who is the killer?

By Marco Pizzorno.

National companies are now committed to fighting against a common evil that brings to memory the plagues of Egypt. A change in the habits and lives of millions of people, who see their dignity limited and count thousands of dead. Still looking for a culprit, the world unfortunately also comes to terms with the economic consequences and their social impact caused by Covid-19. Now the change rewrites the rules, but the loss of social norms and the continuous economic fluctuations, what impact could it have on the Human Family? Very interesting studies on sociological problems of this kind were made by the French sociologist Durkheim.

Who is Durkheim?

Émile Durkheim was born in Epinal, April 15, 1858– Paris, and died on November 15, 1917. He was a French sociologist, philosopher and historian of religions. His work has been fundamental for sociology and anthropology, sensing the importance between religion and the structure of the social group.

His most important studies are aimed at topics such as the crime, religion, the construction of social types, the study of suicide. Durkheim divides the latter into three important phases such as: selfish, altruistic, fatalistic and anomic suicide. Precisely in relation to the first wave of Covid and the economic destabilization that it has achieved, it could be interesting to pay attention to the study of the “anomie”.

Could another economic crisis be fatal for humanity?

The text of the french sociologist within his work, (Le Suicide. Étude de sociologie -1897), literally quotes:

“Mais la société n’est pas seulement un objet qui attire à soi, avec une intensité inégale, les sentiments et l’activité des individus. Elle est aussi un pouvoir qui les règle. Entre la manière dont s’exerce cette action régulatrice et le taux social des suicides il existe un rapport”.

“Society is not only something that attracts to itself, with unequal intensity, feelings and activities of individuals, it is also the power that regulates them” Between the way this regulatory action is carried out and the social rate of suicides there is a connection.”

Paragraph I: C’est un fait connu que les crises économiques ont sur le penchant au suicide une influence aggravante.

-It is a known fact that economic crises have an aggravating influence on the inclination to suicide.

Paragraph II: Un vivant quelconque ne peut être heureux et même ne peut vivre que si ses besoins sont suffisamment en rapport avec ses moyens.

Any living person cannot be happy, and even cannot live, unless his needs are sufficiently related to his means.

Who is the culprit of an economic suicide?

The sociologist seems to warn society and its economy of the danger of economic changes and how they have a self-injurious impact on the population.

Finally, although the international statistics are not all completely clear on the deaths  caused by the economy, would it be a fair preventive policy to help the human family not to be induced to a crime?

If not, who pays for it?

Costa Rica joins Rondine’s “Leaders for Peace” initiative

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Costa Rica joins Rondine’s “Leaders for Peace” initiative

Rondine’s President Franco Vaccari and H.E. Mr. Ronald Flores Vega, Ambassador of Costa Rica in Rome.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

One year ago, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, an innovative conflict resolution NGO called Rondine launched the Leaders for Peace campaign. This seemingly utopic initiative asked all 193 UN member states to give up a symbolic part of their defense budgets, in order to invest it in scholarships for future peace leaders, as well as in the introduction of human rights education in their national education systems. Today, Rondine’s campaign already seems a bit less utopic, thanks to the declaration of support received by the government of Costa Rica. 

Costa Rica is known internationally for its strong commitment to peace. In 1949, in the wake of a civil war, the country decided to renounce having an army, leveraging the ensuing savings to invest in other sectors, especially education and sustainable development. The country’s commitment to peace was further strengthened over the following decades, when the government officially declared its policy of neutrality and became the host of important institutions such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the UN’s University for Peace.

Rondine alle Nazioni Unite – Campagna Globale Leaders for Peace.

On July 23rd, 2020, Costa Rica reconfirmed its commitment to peace when H.E. Mr. Ronald Flores Vega, the Costa Rican Ambassador in Rome, formalized his country’s support for the Leaders for Peace campaign. The signature took place at the Costa Rican Embassy in Rome, in front of Rondine’s President Franco Vaccari, and in video-contact with Yanine, a Rondine alumni who joined in from her hometown in Colombia. 

Costa Rica is the second nation to officially support the Leaders for Peace campaign – joining Italy, whose commitment was formalized by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte a year ago.

Moreover, the campaign has a number of international supporters for its high-level events, such as Jordan, Armenia, Sierra Leone, and the European Union, and it has also received a moral endorsement from the Holy Father, Pope Francis. As Mr. Vaccari proudly noted during the ceremony of signature at the Costa Rican Embassy, “the international community recognizes the need to train a new generation of young leaders for the world to come”. 

In parallel to the Leaders for Peace campaign and the advocacy vis-à-vis governments, Rondine’s activities have also continued on different fronts, including the organization of events and public debates. This has not taken place without hurdles, most notably due to the current pandemic and the ensuing impossibility of holding in-person meetings at Rondine’s Citadel. Yet, the organization did find a way around these problems by moving its events online – thus creating the “Rondine World Room” initiative, a series of five online roundtables on youth leadership and conflict resolution. The virtual events have taken place through May and June 2020, and they have covered different geographic regions, starting with the Americas and the moving eastwards to the Mediterranean basin, Europe, Africa, and finally the Caucasus. 

The World Room discussions have featured the presence of many different actors. Rondine students, both current ones and alumni, have naturally been part and parcel of the debate, contributing by sharing their experiences as students in Rondine and – in some cases – as current leaders in their countries. Moreover, to enrich the discussion, the organization has also reached out to a large pool of high-level speakers, including ambassadors from nine different countries, representatives from supranational institutions such as the EESC and ECOWAS, as well as international experts in the field of peacebuilding from Italy and abroad. 

Despite any hurdle, Rondine’s effort to contribute to a more peaceful world continues undaunted. 

About the author:

Guido Lanfranchi is a student and young professional in the field of international affairs. He has pursued his studies both at Leiden University and Sciences Po Paris, where he is currently enrolled. In parallel, he has been gaining professional experience through internships (first at the Council of the European Union, and currently at Clingendael Institute), as well as by working as reporter and associate editor for Diplomat Magazine The Netherlands. His research and work focus on the Middle East and Africa, and especially on conflict situations in these regions.

Wards the Pan-European Recalibration

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Wards the Pan-European Recalibration

An interview with Dr. Zeno Leoni on a side of Vienna Process Conference

Seventy-five years after the Victory Day and Nuremberg Trials, the Vienna Process has leveraged on the current time of crisis in order to empower a new process for further all-Europe integration that could put at its centre citizens and protect these from the socio-economic and security challenges of our times.

Among the speakers in the first of the three mesmerising conference panels, there was Dr. Zeno Leoni, an expert on the crisis of the Liberal International Order from the Defense Studies Department of King’s College London.

In his absorbing speech, he sought to address the need to rebalance state power and market forces after the market failures seen over the last twelve years.

Dr. Leoni, why it is important to celebrate the anniversary of Nuremberg Trials and what does it have to do with COVID-19?

Thanks for this question. Clearly, we are not at war anymore and especially in the Western world human and political rights are solid achievements.

Yet, the lesson of C-19 but also of the Great Recession of 2008 is that if at the end of WWII it was necessary to work on the values of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, in the 21st century we need a Nuremberg for social rights. We are facing a time of socio-economic instability and we need these rights to be secured if we do not want to see a social “carnage”, to use a language that draws on what happened eighty years ago.


What has been unveiled by the current pandemic outbreak?

Many countries have been slow to react or have not reacted at all. I wonder whether this is because we prioritize economic interests over life. During the pandemic, as the C-19 was putting under stress national health systems of different countries, EU institutions appeared to be more interested in approving the Mechanism for European Stability, while there was no sign of a coordinated effort to tackle this emergency.

I am not arguing that eugenics is back in fashion but both the Great Recession and C-19 demonstrate that Darwinism, whether biological or social, is still among us because if you are strong you move forward but if you are weak you risk perishing.

Why has the West been so unprepared?

I think the pandemic has showed that Western societies live their lives not in a strategic manner. We have become a society that thinks short-term, in a consumerist manner, that looks for quick gains as opposed to long-lasting goods and effects.
In terms of strategy as science, we don’t stockpile anymore because why stockpiling for something – like masks – that has little market value? We do not have plans in place, either.
In terms of strategy as art, we don’t study anymore, we don’t draw lessons from what others do, we are not creative and we do not have skills for improvising.

From the viewpoint of strategy as modus vivendi we also don’t live strategically. We stopped being a healthy population over the last decades, we don’t value things like work out and diet as these have become subordinated to work patterns – this is a trend that we have seen among Mediterranean people, in particular, as they used to be the healthiest. A healthy population would have saved many lives given that we know C-19 tends to kill more those who have pathologies that can be attenuated by a good lifestyle.


How can we get out of this stalemate?

The simple answer for this is “with more state”. For too many years – first with Washington Consensus, then with EU-led fiscal rigour – the state in the West has retrenched. This is not good news, as we can see. We need a state to manage strategic sectors – like health – with the necessary amount of financial resources. But we also need the state to provide society with strategic vision at any level in order not only to face future threats but also to prevent them – as in the case of working towards a healthy, strong population.

What role can the EU play in this?

The EU could become a more integrated actor not merely concerned with fiscal rigour but also with a tangible, implementable strategy that could prepare us to deal, in a multilateral manner, with the future global trends – migration, urbanisation, climate change, pandemics, great power rivalry. However, it still is overly fragmented by three factors. Firstly, German self-interested leadership. Secondly, the US remains a centrifugal pole of attraction which does not allow a full process of integration in the continent.

Finally, the backlash of globalisation has undermined the faith of people on the EU. Also, Brussels have to follow its own interest and urgently seeks recalibration, a new approach towards both Mediterranean and Russia – this is a Sine Qua Non, if we are any serious about future of this continent. 

Germany and France before others have the power to lead this change but they must put their selfish interests aside. 

*                *                      *                      *

The first July day of 2020 in Vienna sow marking the anniversary of Nuremberg Trials with the conference “From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System – Legacy of Antifascism for the Common Pan-European Future”. This was probably the first conference in Europe of large magnitude after the lockdown. It gathered over twenty speakers from Canada to Australia, and audience physically at the venue, and many more online.

The conference was organised by four partners; the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES), Modern Diplomacy Media Platform, European Perspectives Academic Journal, and Culture for Peace Action Platform, with the support of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna that hosted the event in its prestigious historical setting.

Wishing to turn this event into a lasting process, the four implementing partners closed the gathering by marking the start of the process, tentatively named – Vienna Process: Common Future – One Europe. The follow up event is already scheduled for early October in Geneva to honour the 75th anniversary of the San Francisco Conference. Similar call for a conference comes from Barcelona, Spain which was a birthplace of the EU’s Barcelona Process on the strategic Euro-MED dialogue.

Diplomatic life, a life in episodes

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Diplomatic life, a life in episodes

By Alexandra Paucescu.

A pile of numbered boxes, each one caring things but also memories of our life, ready to be shipped away…it is a picture that so many of us, who live a diplomatic life, have seen at least once, but still gives us chills, every time it happens…

The view is proof that a chapter in our life has come to an end and another one is about to unfold. Melancholy inevitably kicks in, as we try to recall now the last five years spent in a city that became our home, and other years before that…

It was like yesterday that we first moved abroad, for our first diplomatic posting… and then, few years later, our first departure… I remember those empty corridors of our apartment in Vienna, where our children had learned their first steps, where we had lived such happy, cheerful times… I remember the innocence in my kids’ eyes and the anxiety for a new beginning, in ours…

Moving is always painful. After all, we are talking about what psychologists say it is one of the most stressful situations in someone’s life.

But ending a diplomatic posting is way tougher. Each time you arrive in a new country you start dreaming about the life you are going to build for yourself and your family, a completely new reality that you are about to live in and try to make familiar. You discover new places, you fall in love with new cultures that you immerse in and you make lifetime friendships. Day by day, you start to understand and to think like the locals, your children start having their own connections, so do you… You surprise yourself singing songs in languages you never understood before, at some point you will have your favorite restaurant around the corner, specific flavors that soon will become your preferred ones… and then… it is time to move again, to start fresh… Years fly like seconds and, in the blink of an eye, you find yourself all over again, in the same situation, the circle is full once more.

If it is going back to your home country or to another new destination, it really makes no difference… the feeling of displacement is almost similar, the stress of novelty is there. When you return home, you have maybe the advantage of being reunited with your extended family and closest friends, that gives you a small sense of comfort, but, let’s face it… nobody stays the same… places change in your absence, people change and slowly distance themselves and you still need time to feel reconnected to everything and everybody, you need to build ‘social bridges’ once again. The feeling of belonging is though stronger than when you move to a foreign country, where you don’t have initially any common ground, at least for the first few months. Another destination, another cycle…

With each new move, we transform, we become wiser, more patient and more resilient. We learn to wait, to communicate effectively and to live the present, not to look back to the past often and also, not to be too anxious about the future.

But how do we get to keep the same enthusiasm and excitement we had when we first started this nomadic life, following around the world our spouses, who work for the Foreign Service?

How can we protect our heart not to be broken from yet another painful departure? How do we find the strength to encourage our children to look forward to a new reality, not showing our own struggle? How can we permanently support our ‘halves’ and also stay focused and take care of countless necessary organizational details, in just a few months or even weeks?

I will tell you how:  it’s LOVE. Love is what keeps us, the diplomatic spouses, going. Love for our family and the strong belief that this is our important contribution to the career of our partner, this is what gives us the strength to live a life of diplomatic episodes, like a perpetual repetition of the legend of Sisyphus, hoping it will all be worth it in the end.

We look with confidence to the future, close the door to the past and bravely turn the page to yet another chapter of our own story, hoping that what lies out there will be a brilliant sequel of a lifetime adventure. Each one of us has a marvelous, best-seller story of life to tell, each one of us mastered the art of reinvention and adapting in a world that is not always supportive, nor fair.

There is this saying: ‘make future plans, if you want to make God laugh’. Indeed, life of diplomats is always unpredictable, surprising and emotionally consuming. 

I don’t know what future holds, where life is going to take me and my family, how steep the slopes of this roller coaster called life will be, but I truly hope that, in my senior years, I will look back and say : ‘Oh, what a fine ride my life was!’.

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu (42)  – Romanian, born in Bucharest. Former exchange high-school student in the USA,  has a university degree in Management and a Master in Business, she speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian.

Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, mother of two, active volunteer for UNICEF and United Nations Women’s Guild, author of ‘Just a diplomatic spouse’ book. Loves music, skiing and tennis.

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