La Habana celebrates its 500th anniversary

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La Habana celebrates its 500th anniversary

In the picture the Cuban musician, Jorge Martinez and Edith Bergansius, President of the Hispanic Association of The Hague.

The Ambassador of Cuba to the Netherlands, H.E. Ms. Soraya Alvarez Nunez, celebrated with glam the 500th anniversary of the great city of La Habana, together with the members of the Hispanic Association of The Hague and many Latin American Ambassadors and diplomats, who gathered to support Cuba in this very special occasion. 

Edith Bergansius, the President of the Hispanic Association of The Hague, introduced Ambassador Alvarez Nunez, after briefly outlining the event’s program. More than a hundred guests, the majority of them being Dutch, filled up the room to its maximum capacity, listening attentively to the Ambassador of Cuba.

The Ambassador of Cuba to The Netherlands, H.E. Ms Soraya Alvarez cutting the 500 Anniversary cake representing the monuments of La Habana.

In her remarks, the Ambassador said: “2019 is for Cuba a year full of great celebrations, which began on January 1 with the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution.

On this occasion we gathered to remember the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the founding of the Villa of San Cristobal de La Habana on November 16, 1519 by Pánfilo de Narvéz, which received the title of city in 1592 and became the capital of the island. Its name comes from the Indian cacique Habaguanex, lord of those lands. Thanks to its excellent port and its geographical position, Havana became the main naval station of Spain in the Western Hemisphere.”

Members and guests of the Spanish Association of The Hague during the ambassador commemorative speech for the 500 Anniversary of La Habana.

Moreover, Ambassador Alvarez Nunez brought to the attention of the public the recovery of 700 houses in the historical part of La Habana – with the aim of giving them back to the people, thus making the citizens of Cuba the focus of the major renovation.

The essence of this project – as noted by the City’s Historian Eusebio Vidal – “is to make the historical places of La Habana habitable for its citizens, renewed to give them back as schools, community centers, businesses, offices, hotels, retirement houses and the like”.

Edith Bergansius, H.E. Hector Horacio Salvador, Ambassador of Argentina, H.E. Ms. Marithza Ruiz de Vieltman, Ambassador of Guatemala, H.E. Mr. Agustin Vazquez Gomez, Ambassador of El Salvador, the Ambassador of Cuba, H.E. Ms. Maria Teresa Infante Caffi, Ambassador of Chile and the Charge d’affaires of Venezuela, Mr. Wilhen Neomar Diaz Lara.

“ Cuba has celebrated in the last years the 500th anniversary of several cities of the national patrimony, among them, as they are known today, Baracoa in 2011, Bayamo in 2013, Trinidad and Puerto del Príncipe in 2014 and Santiago de Cuba in 2015.

Among the nine heritage sites declared by UNESCO in Cuba, is the Historic Center of Havana, declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 1982 by UNESCO, for being one of the largest and best-preserved architectural complexes in America.

Currently, in Havana, capital of the Republic, military and residential buildings, which marked milestones in the sixteenth century; XVII and XVIII, continue showing their splendour; its cobblestone streets, its balustrades, the numerous squares and the semicircular arches that refine the interiors of the colonial palaces.” – Ambassador Alvarez Nunez said with pride.

After the Ambassador’s speech, the master of ceremony introduced the official video of the 500th anniversary of La Habana, where well-known Cuban artists participated with their different styles, giving a vast overview of the quality of Cuban musicians. The theme has been promoted since June last year.

Jorge Martinez playing well known Cuban’ songs.

Then, it was time for Jorge Martinez to come to show in person how Cubans play music. With a great soul and rhythm, he interpreted with the piano and the guitar many traditional songs, as well as a song from his own repertoire. The performance was so impressive that the public did not let him terminate the show, continuously asking more songs.

The guests enjoyed songs such El Manicero, Guantanamera, Silencio, until the artist finally asked the enthusiastic audience to listen to one last song, Enrique Iglesias’ hit Bailando. This showed Spain’s solidarity to Cuba, which is crucial nowadays: while investors and tourists coming from the United States are decreasing due to the recent economic sanctions imposed by the US government, Spain remains the largest foreign investor in Cuba.

A delicious chocolate cake, representing the monuments of La Habana – a creation of Marta Orban.

Mojitos and many Cuban delights accompanied the guests while waiting for the next key moment: the cut of a fabulous chocolate cake, representing the monuments of La Habana – a creation of Marta Orban. The Ambassador of Cuba invited her colleagues to cut the cake together. 

Edit Bergansius, inexhaustible and galvanized by the event’s success, said goodbye to all the guests leaving the celebration. The Spanish Association continuously organizes precious Spanish-speaking events for its members.  

OPCW Director-General Visits Slovakia

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OPCW Director-General Visits Slovakia

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands – 11 June 2019 – The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, spoke at a conference on global security and visited a specialised Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) training centre during a trip to Slovakia, from 6-7 June.

The Director-General addressed the audience of the 2019 Bratislava Forum, the annual conference of GLOBSEC, a think tank committed to enhancing global security, prosperity and sustainability throughout the world. The event brought together experts, academics and policy-makers to generate new ideas and solutions to pressing security problems.

Speaking at a panel on emerging threats, the Director-General reflected on the history of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), adding that despite the OPCW’s progress toward eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction, an evolving security landscape means that the Organisation is still confronting “an array of challenges”.

He expressed: “Recent violations of the prohibition against chemical weapons and the appearance of significant challenges are indicative of changes in global security. Change, however, requires us to reinforce and adapt our existing tools.

“The OPCW is focused on making certain that the Convention is comprehensively implemented in an evolving threat environment. To respond to these challenges, we will need to operate on multiple fronts, which will necessitate a holistic approach to our activities, heightened vigilance, and enhanced preparedness. Accordingly, dialogue and cooperation, among the Organisation’s Member States is now required more than ever.”

In Bratislava, the Director General held separate meetings with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic František Ružička, and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Mr Ratislav Chovanic.

The Director-General further travelled to Zemianske Kostoľany to visit the CBRN Training and Testing Centre – a specialised facility that allows first responders to enhance preparedness for dealing with emergencies involving chemical weapons and toxic chemical substances.

During an award ceremony, the Director-General handed out certificates to OPCW inspectors who had completed a Live Agent Training Course for Experts. The event was followed by a briefing and tour of the facility.

Eurojust supports 18 measures against tax fraud

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Eurojust supports 18 measures against tax fraud

 The Hague, 12 June 2019

Eurojust helped the Italian national authorities to crack down on an organised crime group involved in large-scale tax fraud and other financial crimes. 17 people were placed under restrictive measures in Italy and 1 was arrested in the UK through the exeution of a European Arrest Warrant. The estimated damage, caused by tax evasion and other criminal activities, amounts to over €80 million. Today’s successful operation was the result of a highly complex and lengthy cross-border investigation, which would have not been possible without Eurojust’s close cooperation.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) and Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) of Udine today held a press conference on the crackdown of an organised crime group (OCG) suspected of VAT and excise tax evasion in Italy. The OCG was supported by various criminal cells in the UK and several other EU countries. The investigations into the OCG were initiated back in 2017.

In July 2017, Eurojust, the EU’s Judicial Cooperation Unit, swiftly set up a coordination centre to facilitate the execution of Letters of Request (LoRs) towards 17 EU countries and the gathering of sufficient evidence to help national authorities advance their criminal investigations. Eurojust closely coordinated the national investigations, serving as a platform to efficiently exchange information and evidence, and agree on joint prosecutorial strategies and operational actions, including simultaneous searches carried out in several EU countries. Eurojust also assisted the Italian authorities in quickly issuing and safely transmitting 2 European Arrest Warrants towards the British authorities and 17 LoRs to the EU countries concerned.

The OCG, which was headed by UK nationals and composed of Italian nationals, expanded its criminal activities to numerous EU countries. The fraudsters were involved in a carousel scam involving real and fake alcoholic drink companies in Italy and the 17 EU countries involved.

The OCG members took advantage of loopholes in tax regulation at EU level, such as the exemption from paying VAT or excise tax for transactions within the European Union, to evade taxes on the trade of alcohol. The criminals also benefitted from the possibility to justify the illegal distribution of alcohol, from almost anywhere in the EU countries concerned, by exploiting the EU’s Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS).

The OCG members are accused of having participated in a criminal organisation to commit excise and VAT fraud, as well as large-scale money laundering, affecting the financial interests of the European Union, and other related crimes.

Kazakhs have chosen: Tokayev is the new President of Kazakhstan

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Kazakhs have chosen: Tokayev is the new President of Kazakhstan

During the first presidential election without Nursultan Nazarbayev as a candidate, former Foreign Affairs Minister and UN diplomat Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has been elected President of Kazakhstan, winning 77.6% of the votes. The ballot represents the start of new era for Kazakhstan, the largest economy in Central Asia, rich in oil and gas reserves, and situated in a strategic location between China and Russia.

In the wake of the elections, Tokayev has expressed his commitment to an open and transparent government, “a mandate of truth for the next five years”. The day after the elections – just before being officially declared the new President of Kazakhstan – he congratulated the other six candidates, announcing that several projects included in their programs will be added to the government’s plans.

In the conference room of the impressive Akorda National Palace, Tokayev met with 107 journalists and representatives of international media outlets. Thanking the 1,000 international observers who have monitored the electoral process, he opened the floor for questions on national and international issues.

On the domestic front, Tokayev announced certain changes in the cabinet, aimed at addressing specific issues. However, he noted that the cabinet will not resign in full – as it normally happens in many countries when a new mandate starts.

Concerning international affairs, Tokayev clarified that Russia’s place as a key neighboring country would not change. He announced that all the countries in the region had already called to congratulate him – with Russian President Vladimir Putin being over the phone a few minutes before the press conference.  “Nazarbayev worked closely with Yeltsin and with Putin; bilateral relations with Russia are strategic and have a human dimension” – the new President said.

Russian and Kazakh are the two official languages of Kazakhstan, and a quarter of the country’s population is Russian. Tokayev called Russia a strategic partner for the security of Kazakhs, and announced that he will pay special attention to the relations with Kazakhstan’s neighbors, notably with Russia and China.

The President’s first trip abroad will be in Kyrgyzstan on June 14th and in Tajikistan on June 15th, in a sign of the importance that Tokayev gives to regional politics. Kazakhstan’s wish is clearly to take the leadership of the Central Asian region.

Questioned about Kazakhstan’s participation in the China’s One Belt One Road project, Tokayev stressed that without Kazakhstan China could not develop its project, given the importance of the Kazakh territory involved in the Silk Road plans. “We are open and we are promoting foreign investment” – Tokayev said, adding that “actually we have 300 billions of investment from abroad; in July we have an important meeting with investors, also sending a message to all that the business opportunities and the business climate are good”.

In addition to these topics, Tokayev also talked about the country’s policy of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, issue related to technology and internet, and he announced that he will be accessible to all, maintaining open questions and answers sessions with the media as frequently as possible.

Elections update, Kazakhs prepared for historical change

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Elections update, Kazakhs prepared for historical change

The Republic of Kazakhstan just witnessed yesterday Sunday, June 9th the first national elections ever where President Nursultan Nazarbayev was not in the ballot. The candidate of Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan Party, Mr Kassim-Jomart Tokayev (66), former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current president ad-interim, won the presidential elections by a large marge of 77.06% of ballots. 

Delegations of international observers witnessed the election process closely. The civil society of Kazakhstan organised in associations such as Amanat, a social media platform regrouping alone 800 organization members from medium to small entrepreneurs companies and students associations also participated in the elections as surveyors. 

The local media and an important group of international journalists coming from all over the world were reporting from the national capital of Nur-Sultan, Almaty and other cities as observers from these historical elections.  Seven candidates were on the ballot, including Daniya Yespaeva, the only woman in the group who got 5.32 % of the votes. The second place went to Kosanov Amirzhan with 15.39% of the votes as per the National Central Elections Commission at midnight. 

The political campaign started a month ago, showing Tokayev as the most popular candidate and the favourite to win the presidential elections. His government program includes social reforms, business-oriented regulations, education and health, infrastructure projects and strengthens Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. Following Diplomat Magazine´s direct interviews to the academia, small and middle-sized businesses in Nur-Sultan, Tokayev government program represents the most balanced and practical policy in relation to other candidates.  

However, very few unhappy protesters were holding signs of “faked results”, “shame” trying to prevent people to vote, showing up their disagreement even before the first bulletin from the National Central Commission came out.  Nevertheless, a high number of citizens went out to vote under a general calm and secure atmosphere. Diplomat Magazine witnessed some foreign journalists taking pictures and reporting on the minor incident with protesters in Nur-Sultan. The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Marat Kozhayev has also reported that the police has arrested some 500 radical individuals and unauthorized unhappy protesters trying to disrupt the public order.  

“It is a new experience for Kazakhstan, even the candidates were not aware of many elements of the promotional part of a political campaign,” said to Diplomat Magazine Mrs Mira, one of our interviewee, before she went to vote in a Nur-Sultan poll station. For her, poll´s results turned out without problems if considering it as the very first presidential elections in Kazakstan´s history.

Foreign delegations from Italy, Greece, France, Spain, China, Russia, Belarus, Brazil, USA, Germany, UK, Israel, Switzerland and the like, announced a clean election process with very positive expectations for the people of Kazakhstan.  

Under Tokayev´s government, it is expected a series of innovations and change, renewing diplomatic ties in the international arena and fostering foreign direct investments in the country.   

The true colours of Roula Derbas

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The true colours of Roula Derbas

H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa, Ambassador of Lebanon to the Netherlands.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

On June 7-8th, 2019, Lebanese lawyer and artist Roula Derbas exposed her paintings at the residence of the Lebanese Ambassador to the Netherlands. In her exhibition called “In between colors”, the artists showcased a number of her paintings to a large number of guests.

On June 7th, 2019, a large number of guests started arriving in Wassenaar to the residence of H.E. Mr. Abdel Sattar Issa, the Lebanese Ambassador to the Netherlands.

The guests were invited to the residence for the inauguration ceremony of “In between colors”, the exhibition of Lebanese lawyer and painter Roula Derbas.

Soon, the room was filled with people, including Ambassadors accredited in the Netherlands, diplomats, Dutch MPs, as well as Ms. Ivana Hrdličková, President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and Mr. Rachid Derbas, former Minister and President of the Bar.

Ambassador Issa with Mr. Boris Zhilko, Minister Counselor Embassy of. Russia.

Welcoming all the participants, Ambassador Issa stressed how “culture has always been one of Lebanon’s main assets”. He highlighted the legacy of several Lebanese artists that have historically enjoyed international fame, such as the writers Khalil Gibran and Amin Maalouf, as well as the musicians Fayrouz and the Rahbani brothers.

Lebanon’s cultural soft power is still strong today – the Ambassador rejoiced – pointing at the recent performances conducted in the Netherlands by a number of contemporary Lebanese artists, such as Marcel Khalife, Rima Kcheich, the band Mashrou’ Leila, Zian Rahbani, and Marwan Rechmaoui.

H.E. Ms. Laura Dupuys, Ambassador of the Orientas Republic of Uruguay, H.E. Mr. I Gusti Wesaka Puja, Ambassador of Indonesia. and Caroline Klaver-Boumann, Deputy Mayor of Wassenaar.

Ambassador Issa then introduced his friend and compatriot Roula Derbas, the protagonist of the night, praising her for her success in balancing – just like her father – an artistic activity with her career in the field of law.

Ms. Derbas was also widely praised by Ms. Jacqueline Crijns from the Gallerie Pied-a-Terre, the host of the artist’s first exhibition. Ms. Crijns defined Roula as “a rising star”, stressing her talent, her kindness, and her “overwhelming drive”. 

H.E. Mr. Elyes Ghariani, Ambassador fo Tunisia and the Charge d’affaires of Venezuela, Mr. Wilhen Diaz Lara.

Finally taking the word, Ms. Derbas thanked the Ambassador and all the presents for their support in allowing her to “share her true colors”. She also had a warm word of thank to the Gallerie Pied-a-Terre, her parents, and her whole family, who came to the Netherlands specifically for this occasion.

Ambassador Issa, the artist and the next generation.

Roula concluded with a quote from the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh: “I am an artist. These words naturally imply always seeking without ever fully finding”. 

A video made by Roula’s friends concluded the ceremony, after which the guests were free to roam around the Ambassador’s beautiful residence, enjoying drinks, snacks, conversations, and especially the painting of the “rising star” Roula Derbas. 

Baron van de Voorde received by Premier Dr. Haseloff

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Baron van de Voorde received by Premier Dr. Haseloff

Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff & Ambassador Baron Willem van de Voorde – Picture by Staatskanzlei Sachsen-Anhalt, I. Berger

Wednesday, 29 May, 2019: the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, HE Baron Willem van de Voorde, made his maiden visit to Saxony-Anhalt. He was received at the State Chancellery in Magdeburg by Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff.
The meeting between the two dignitaries focused on bilateral relations between Saxony-Anhalt and Belgium as well as the results of the European elections.

Belgium was one of the ten most important trading partners of Saxony-Anhalt in 2018, goods worth 645.2 million euros were exported to the Kingdom, imports from Belgium reached a level of 967.0 million euros. Mainly chemical precursors, plastics and raw rubber were exported from Saxony-Anhalt. 
More than 30 companies in Saxony-Anhalt possess holdings in Belgian companies, including the chemical company DOMO Caproleuna GmbH, the flat glass producer f-Glass GmbH in Sülzetal near Magdeburg, and the logistics company Radial Fulfillment GmbH in Halle (Saale).

For further information :
https://europa.sachsen-anhalt.de/internationales/aktuelles-internationales-2019/antrittsbesuch-des-belgischen-botschafters/

GES 2019 draws to an end

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GES 2019 draws to an end

In the picture Ms. Ivanka Trump, advisor of U.S. President Donald Trump.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

After two and a half hectic, intensive days, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, held in The Hague, drew to an end. Yet, the follow-up of the Summit is expected to be extensive, with the development of new partnership and initiatives established during the gathering.

On June 5th, the 9th edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, co-organized by the Netherlands and the United States in The Hague, eventually arrived at its conclusion. After two and a half days full of meetings, speeches, workshops, and initiatives, the participants gathered at the World Forum in Scheveningen for the closing ceremony. The ceremony featured high-level keynote speakers, including Ms. Ivanka Trump, daughter advisor of U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr. Michael Kratsios, Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer, and Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Ms. Sigrid Kaag, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ms. Ivanka Trump, advisor of U.S. President Donald Trump and US Ambassador to The Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Peter Hoekstra. Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2019, June 3-5 in The Hague. (GES photo by Paul Barendregt/Public Domain).

The ceremony marked the end of a massive gathering, which brought together over a thousand talented entrepreneurs from over 140 countries, more than 300 large scale investors, and a host of government leaders. The Summit’s aim was to provide support to entrepreneurs at a global level. 

Among the attendees, one could find extremely different profiles. There were delegations representing large groups of entrepreneurs, such as Entrepreneurs Organization, a network of 13,000 entrepreneurs from 57 different countries. At the same time, there were also very specialized company, such as AntiRadical Therapeutics LLC, a U.S. based business proposing an innovative drug for treatment of cancer and brain injuries. 

Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2019, June 3-5 in The Hague. (GES photo by Paul Barendregt/Public Domain)

Commenting on the Summit, Ambassador Maureen Cormack, Senior Advisor for the U.S. Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs on the GES, praised the cooperation between the U.S. and the Netherlands in organizing the event. She stressed how, for the first time, the organizers had “worked really hard to recruit entrepreneurs who are investment ready, who have scalable enterprises”, hoping to match them with “a broad range of investors”. 

The Summit has led to a large number of deliverables. Among them, the Water Security Grand Challenge, aimed at promoting the creation of transformational technology to “meet the global need for safe, secure and affordable water; the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, supported by Ms. Trump and MasterCard CEO Ajaypal Singh Banga, and aimed at economically empower 50 million women across the developing world by 2025; and the Global Innovation through Science and Technology initiative, dedicated to matching top science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies with innovators in the U.S.

All these initiatives are aimed at supporting entrepreneurs all over the world, both inside and outside the United States. Ambassador Cormack explained that the U.S. sees entrepreneurship “as a way for the global economy to rise”. In around ten months – she announced – the U.S. plans to do a survey to analyze the GES’ follow-up. This will be a crucial test for analyzing what can be achieved through the Summit, and whether the gathering will live up to its key motto: The Future Now.

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Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2019, June 3-5 in The Hague. (GES photo by Paul Barendregt/Public Domain).

Cabo Verdian President in HH

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Cabo Verdian President in HH

President Jorge Carlos Fonseca & Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher – Picture by Cabo Verde Presidency

Saturday, 4 May 2019, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg: In the framework of a working visit to Germany, President Jorge Carlos Fonseca accompanied by the Deputy Secretary of State for the Maritime Economy, Paulo Veiga and Ambassador Jaqueline Pires was invited by local authorities for a guided tour of the Port of Hamburg, the city where the visit began, which is the second largest port in Europe and the eighth in the world. 

Subsequently, Jorge Carlos Fonseca was received in Hamburg’s City Hall, by the President of the Senate and First Mayor of the City-State, Dr. Peter Tschentscher, with whom he had a working meeting, and signed the Golden Book.

President Fonseca sings the Hamburg Golden Book as her delegation and Ambassador Jaqueline Pires look on – Picture by Cabo Verde Presidency

The first day of his journey to Germany ended with a visit to theInternational Maritime Museum, considered the largest of its kind in the world.

President Professor Jorge Carlos Fonseca serves as fourth President of Cabo Verde since 2011, having been re-elected in 2016 for a term that lasts until 2021. His background is that of a lawyer, and professor in criminal law and public administration. 

For further information:
Presidency of Cabo Verde: http://presidencia.cv/arquivo/3139

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Conference in Berlin

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Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Conference in Berlin

In the picture Baron Willem van de Voorde addresses his colleagues the ambassadors of Uganda, Dr. Marcel Tibaleka, Kenya, Joseph Kipng’etich Magutt, Algeria, Nor-Eddine Aouam, Rwanda, Igor Cesar, Zimbabwe, Ruth Masodzi Chikwira, Cameroon, Jean-Marc Mpay. Picture by Royal Belgian Embassy to Germany

Thursday, May 23 2019, Royal Belgian Embassy to Germany, Berlin: HE Ambassador Baron Willem van de Voorde welcomed some thirty ambassadorial colleagues, and other diplomats from African countries to a conference about the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and its significance for the African continent. The Belgian Embassy took the initiative of the latter event within the framework of the Belgian co-presidency of the Article XIV Conference in order to facilitate the entry into force of the CTBT.

The keynote speaker at the conference was Dr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), and native of Burkina Faso. After recalling that 8 ratifications are still missing to allow the treaty to enter into force, including Egypt’s, Dr Zerbo called upon Africa to become more involved in the implementation of the treaty and, in general, to take its rightful place on the international scene. He stressed that by 2050, Africa will be the most populous continent in the world and that it must be prepared for the responsibilities that go hand-in-hand.

A lunch in honour of Dr. Zerbo was also on the agenda, in the presence of the heads of mission of Cameroon, HE Ambassador Jean-Marc Mpay and Burkina Faso, HE Ambassador Simplice Honoré Guibila as well as Mrs Susanne Baumann, Director General of the German Foreign Office for Multilateral Affairs, Disarmament and Arms Control. Later this year, Germany and Algeria shall succeed Belgium and Iraq as co-chairs of the Article XIV Conference.

For further information:
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty: https://www.ctbto.org

Royal Belgian Embassy to Germany: https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/germany?fbclid=IwAR0QgLpg_btYFkf_NbCVqmpReJA-_ojtyGLVUD-PbnCcf5YLOVo9P1vEZsw

Photography by Royal Belgian Embassy to Germany.

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