By Guido Lanfranchi.

On March 20^th, 2019, the Yemeni Embassy in the Netherlands briefed the Dutch press on the situation on the ground in Yemen. The update focused on the state of implementation of the Stockholm agreement, as well as on the erupting conflict in the Hajour district.

As the situation on the ground in Yemen is characterized by extreme complexity and continuous changes, the Yemeni Embassy in the Netherlands decided to offer a briefing in order to expose the position of the Government of Yemen. The briefing took place in the Embassy’s premises in Scheveningen, The Hague, and was attended by different media outlets, as well as by other guests, including members of international NGOs and students.

The attendees were briefed directly by the Yemeni Ambassador, H.E. Ms. Sahar Ghanem, with the help of the Embassy’s Counsellor, Mr. Wadhah Hadi. The speakers started by outlining the long and difficult negotiation process that, stretching from June 2015 to December 2018, eventually led to the signing of the Stockholm agreement between the Government of Yemen and the Houthis. The agreement, signed on December 18^th, 2018, featured three main outcomes: an agreement on redeployment from the three ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Isa; an agreement on the release of prisoners; and an agreement to hold further discussions on the sieged city of Taiz.

The speakers also provided an account of the events that unfolded in the wake of the agreement’s signature. They recalled the arrival of Dutch General Mr. Patrick Cammaert, leader of the UN mission tasked with supervising the Agreement’s implementation, and his successive replacement with Danish General Mr. Michael Lollesgaard.

This UN mission – the speaker underlined – could count of the full cooperation of the Government of Yemen, which repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to peace, including through the payment of salaries to workers in Houthi-controlled areas in Hodeidah – the Ambassador stressed.

At the same time, however, the Ambassador accused the Houthis of not being equally committed to a peaceful solution. She blamed the group for taking unilateral steps in the implementation of the agreement, as well as for continuous violations of the ceasefire established in Stockholm. According to a governmental report cited in the briefing, between December 18^th and January 19^th the Houthis committed at least 688 violations, leading to 48 deaths and a larger number of casualties – the Ambassador regretted, defining the Houthis as a militia, devoid of any commitment to political agreements.

As a result of the Houthis’ lack of commitment – the Ambassador noted with displeasure – more than three months after the signature of the Stockholm Agreement, the deal’s implementation does not seem to be leading anywhere. As a proof of this, the Ambassador pointed at the recent interview given by Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in which the Houthi leader declared that the group would not withdraw from Hodeidah. Thus, in spite of some recent positive announcements by the United Nations Special Envoy Mr. Martin Griffiths, no agreement between the two parties seems to be within reach.

The Ambassador went on by outlining the steps that the Government of Yemen should undertake. She repeatedly stressed that a military offensive on Hodeidah would be not only undesirable, as it would risk to completely destroy the city, but also unfeasible, as the Houthis exploited the recent ceasefire to strengthen their defences. Rather, she noted that the Government should focus on a decentralization of the humanitarian approach, making full use of the other sea and land ports that can serve the country. Moreover, the Ambassador repeatedly stressed the importance of supporting the revival of the Yemeni economy, a step that would be crucial to ensure not only development, but also peace and security in the country.

Ambassador Ghanem and Counsellor Hadi also touched upon the situation in the Hajour district. There – they explained – past conflicts between the Houthis and local tribes resurfaced in the wake of the Stockholm agreement’s signature, as the Houthis attempted to forcibly assert their control over the district. The Ambassador accused the Houthis of using heavy weapons, including ballistic missiles, to target the Hajour district, and issued a thinly veiled critique to the media’s coverage of the conflict: “why is there so much mediatic attention on Hodeidah, and so little on the fight in Hajour?” – the Ambassador wondered.

In the ensuing question and answer session with the attendees, Ambassador Ghanem and Counsellor Hadi touched upon a number of different issues. For instance, they called on the UN to apply more pressure on the Houthi side, and they also pointed the finger at Iran for providing political, economic, technical, and military support to the Yemeni rebel group. Finally, Ambassador Ghanem also voiced her firm belief in peace from the grassroots, stressing the need to find a balance between empowering peacemakers at the local level, and (re)building Yemen’s national identity in the wake of a conflict that is becoming increasingly divisive.

At the end of the day, as Ambassador Ghanem put it, “no one wants peace more than the Yemeni people”. Hopefully, all parties will manage to engage with each other in a more constructive way and to move the country closer to the much-desired outcome: peace.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

On March 20^th, 2019, a combination of Tunisian flavours and music filled the Crowne Plaza hotel in The Hague. A large number of guests, including several Ambassadors, diplomats, and businessmen, gathered to enjoy the night, impeccably co-organized by the Tunisian Embassy in The Hague, the Tunisian Tourist Office, the Diplomat Magazine, and the hotel’s staff.

A glass of tasty mint tea, accompanied by traditional Tunisian music playing in the background: this was the pleasant welcome offered to the guests attending the inaugural dinner of the “Tunisian Gastronomic Days”, held in the evening of March 20^th, 2019. At the entrance, H.E. Mr. Elyes Ghariani, Ambassador of Tunisia in the Netherlands, and Mr. Patrick Aarsman, General Manager of Crowne Plaza, welcomed the incoming guests as they swiftly filled in the hotel’s dining room.

Starting from the room’s entrance, the ambiance immediately recalled Tunisia. Typical Tunisian objects and spices were on display at the doorway to welcome the guests, images of different Tunisian cities and sites were used to identify the different tables, and even the hotel’s staff uniforms were modelled on the Tunisian style.

The red colour was featuring everywhere in the room, and the Tunisian flag was proudly displayed nearby the stage. On the stage, an experienced musical trio, composed by Mrs. Lamia Ktata, Mrs. Rim Belhedi, and Mrs. Fatma Dridi, entertained the guests with traditional Tunisian music for the whole duration of the event.

The music was briefly interrupted only to open the floor for the hosts’ introductory remarks. Mr. Aarsman was the first to address the guests, thanking them for their participation and warmly welcoming the excellent cooperation with the Tunisian Embassy and with Diplomat Magazine in the event’s organization.

These words were echoed by those of Ambassador Ghariani, who outlined the night’s program to the guests. The Ambassador proudly introduced the musicians, as well as the two professional chefs, Mr. Taieb Bouhadra and Mr. Haykel Ben Zaidra, who had flown directly from Tunisia in order to allow the guests to taste the real flavours of their country.

In his introductory remarks, Ambassador Ghariani underlined how Tunisia’s position at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea has always made the country a crucial crossroad in the region. Different peoples, goods, and ideas from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East historically converged in Tunisia, dramatically enriching the country’s cultural diversity.

And how to show such rich culture to the world, if not through a night like this? The Ambassador thus invited the guests to enjoy the “Tunisian Gastronomic Days”, set to last from the 20^th to the 23^rd of March, and gave the floor toMr. Mohammed Attia, Director of the Tunisian Tourist Office in the Netherlands, who outlined his office’s activities and invited the guests to enjoy the full Tunisian experience of the night.

As the music restarted to fill the room, the appetizers started to arrive on the guests’ tables. Berber harissa and sidi daouad tuna, accompanied by Tunisian extra virgin olive oil, prepared the guests’ palate for the chorba frik soup with octopus.

These appetizers were followed by a wide mix of salads, including the typical slata mechouia with tuna, the houriya salad with anchovies and olives, the kerkanies octopus salad, as well as a typical Tunisian salad with apples. These entrées, together with the meat banadhej and the typical Fatma fingers,set the stage for the main course of the night, composed by the marka halouwa with tibar lamb, as well as chicken with olives and preserved lemons, and accompanied by couscous with Maltese oranges and borghol with vegetables.

This tasty and extremely variegated combination of plates was closed by a Tunisian dessert, the assida with zgougou, and by an assortment of Tunisian pastries. To accompany this extraordinary meal, the guests could also choose between two different wines, the red Magon Majus and the white Chardonnay Clipea.

During the whole night, the trio’s music served as a relaxing background for the conversations among the guests, who remained in the Crowne Plaza’s dining room until late. At the end of the night, Ambassador Ghariani and Mr. Aarsman could be heard thanking each other for the mutual collaboration in the organization of the event: actually, it is up to us and to all the guests to thank both of them for such an interesting, well-organized, and pleasant night!

H.E. Mrs. Heidemaria Gurer, Ambassador of Austria.

By Roy Lie Atjam.

The Austrian residence has become a musical hot spot in The Hague!

On 28 February 2019,  the Austrian Ambassador has hosted the Residentie Orkest at her residence. A concert followed, featuring  Kian Soltani, cello and Mario Haring, Piano. This concluded the series of concerts for February 2019.

¨Thanks to Zuiderstrand theatre and the Residentie Orkest, February was dedicated to Austrian music¨, a remark made by H.E. Mrs. Heidemaria Gurer, Austrian Ambassador. She continued, ¨we took advantage of it and cooperated at the beginning of February with a Korngold evening on “The Tote Stadt” that was staged by Reisopera the next day and in all together 9 places in the Netherlands. ¨

¨This was followed by the Brahms festival during which the famous Alban Berg Quintett/Septett not only performed every day at the Zuiderstrand theatre but also in our Residence.¨

¨We conclude with the cellist Soltani who has been an artist in residence with the Zuiderstrandtheater and has been performing last fall as well as now in different locations in the Netherlands.¨

Indeed,  the Austrian residence has thus become a music hot spot in The Hague , and Ambassador Heidemaria Gurer is proud of that.

 Close to a hundred guests attended the concert by cellist, Kian Soltani and pianist, Mario Haring.

H.E. Mr. Tigran Balayan, Ambassador of Armenia.

By Roy Lie Atjam.

The month of March has long has been considered as the month of La francophonie.  The month’s observances not only place significant emphasis on the French language but also everything that pertains to France. French-speaking countries are not the only members of la francophonie.

In fact, many countries that have had some affiliation with the Francosphere in the past, which would not only include the use of the language, but also all connections with the French historical or cultural space. Individuals, therefore, who are greatly fond of France or French language and culture are considered to be Francophiles.

Armenia and the Armenians have a longstanding relationship with France and the French language. Armenia’s Ambassador in the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Tigran Balayan, organized a reception and fashion show to celebrate a Journée Internationale de la francophonie on 15 March 2019.

The venue that was selected to host the event is La Maison D’Armeni in Rotterdam. The focus of this year ‘s celebration is on responsible fashion.

The evening featured the Armenian designers, Armeni Tovmasjan, founder of design studio Maison d’Armeni and Gayane Manukyan and her gorgeous brand Just Black.

 “Just Black is a bridge which not only unites all the colours together but is also a symbolic colour of unified strength of all the Armenian diaspora spread in the world. It unites the past and the future, Diaspora with Armenia, and traditional knowledge with modern technology in the industry of fashion” says the creator of the collection – Gayane Manukyan

Gayane aims at promoting Black as a positive colour and changing the stereotypes of people regarding it through utilization of modern understanding of fashion and international standards. 

Ambassador Balayan, warmly welcomed his guests, he stated, “ for Armenia, it is not only an organization, a country club,it is first and foremost a possibility of openness towards the world, a possibility to deepen the relations with the francophone family”

His special guest was the Mayor of the international city of Rotterdam Mr. Ahmed Aboutaleb, a Francophile. Furthermore, Ambassadors from Austria, Egypt, Moldovia, Tunisia, a diplomat from the Russian Federation, the business community, Mr. Bernard Bos from Shell, the Armenian diaspora and many others were on hand to enjoy the festivities.

After the welcome remarks by Ambassador Balayan, the Mayor of Rotterdam, Mr.Ahmed Aboutaleb addressed the gathering.

The Rotterdam vocalist Glenda, was accompanied by a guitarist and their outstanding performance greatly contributed to the success of the fashionable Armenian evening.