NATO Defense Ministerial to be held in Brussels on 13-14 February

On the picture H.E. Kay bailey Hutchison, Ambassador, United States Mission to NATO.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

On the eve of the NATO Defense Ministerial set to be held in Brussels on 13-14 February 2019, Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison, Permanent Representative of the United States to NATO, outlined the meeting’s agenda. The discussions will focus on a broad range of topic, including North Macedonia’s accession protocol, the INF Treaty, defense investment and capabilities, as well as the situation in Afghanistan.

A busy global political agenda is set to characterize the European continent in this week. While Warsaw will host the Ministerial for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Brussels will welcome the Defense Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. On the eve of this latter meeting, the US Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison, outlined to the press the main points on the agenda.

The discussions will start with the welcoming of the accession protocol for North Macedonia, which is set to become the 30^th member of NATO. Ambassador Hutchison reiterated the full US support to the country’s accession, and expressed confidence that the ratification process will be smooth. Although no timeline is set – she noted – within the end of the year the due procedures might be completed.

Another important point on the agenda will be the INF Treaty. The US recently suspended its obligations under the treaty on account of alleged violations be the Russian side. As a consequence – the Ambassador explained – the US is going forward with due countermeasures as provided by the treaty protocols. As for the way forward, Ambassador Hutchinson clarified that the US “would welcome a new treaty that includes all the countries that have the ballistic missiles that would be a violation of the treaty.”

Defense Ministers will also tackle the issue of defense investment, on which NATO allies have already made “great strides” – Ambassador Hutchison noted. The discussions will focus on the so called “three C’s”: Cash (moving towards two percent of national GDP for military expenditure), Capability (spending twenty percent of this amount to meet capability targets), and Contributions (increasing contributions to NATO missions).

While noting that the established targets are still not met, Ambassador Hutchison welcomed the significant progress made by NATO allies since 2016, and voiced her hope that further progress will be achieved over the next years.

Moreover, deterrence and defense will be on the Ministers’ agenda. Specifically, the focus will be on the so called “four 30s”: 30 battalions, 30 air squadrons, 30 ships in 30 days, wherever needed. NATO allies will also discuss issues such as military mobility and telecommunication security, key aspects of NATO deterrence and defense efforts.

Finally, the last major part of the Ministerial will focus on the current situation in Afghanistan, and notably on the latest developments in the peace process. US Special Envoy Ambassador Khalilzad is “breaking new ground” – Ambassador Hutchison stressed – and while concrete results have not yet been reached, the developments seem to be going in the right direction.

Questioned by the press on potential internal fractures inside NATO, Ambassador Hutchison reassured that the Alliance’s unity on its core function is not at stake. While some divergences among allies do exist, for instance on the domestic political situation of certain member states, such differences are addressed by the US at the bilateral level, and do not poison the tight security cooperation among NATO members. Nevertheless, the Ambassador defined as “very troubling” the plans by Turkey to purchase Russian missile defense systems, and urged the country not to go forward with such decision.

The NATO Defense Ministerial will be held at NATO headquarters on February 13^th and 14^th. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will chair the meeting, which will be the first one for US Acting Secretary of Defense Mr. Patrick Shanahan.

By Guido Lanfranchi.

On February 7^th, 2019, the International Organization for Migration – Netherlands office organized its annual New Year’s Reception. The Chief of Mission, Mr. Antonio Polosa, thanked the organization’s many partners for their precious collaboration towards fulfilling the mandate of IOM: “to promote the management of migration for the benefit of all.”

“We live in a world on the move. Numerically, there are more people migrating in this beginning of 21^st century than at any other time in recorded history worldwide.” These were the words that Mr. Antonio Polosa, Chief of Mission at IOM Netherlands, decided to use in his introductory remarks at the organization’s New Year’s Reception. These words underlined the relevance and the complexity of the migration phenomenon, which cannot be addressed by single countries or organizations alone, but rather must be tackled through international cooperation.

Hence the relevance of the yearly Reception, which gathers the numerous partners collaborating with IOM in its difficult work. As in 2018, the New Year’s Reception took place in the Carlton Ambassador Hotel in The Hague. More than a hundred guests gradually arrived at the location, warmly welcomed at the entrance of the reception room by IOM Chief of Mission Mr. Polosa. Soon, the room was full of Ambassadors, diplomats and Dutch officials, who mingled with the numerous IOM officials in the room.

Mr. Polosa kicked off the formal part of the reception with his introductory speech. He recalled some of the crucial recent developments in the field of migration worldwide, such as the approval of the Global Compacts on refugees and on migration, and listed some of the main achievements of IOM Netherlands.

In 2018 alone, the office provided assistance to more than 7,000 migrants, focusing specifically on voluntary returns, labor market integration, family reunification, as well as collaboration with diaspora communities.

Mr. Polosa praised the role of the whole IOM team in achieving these precious results. Yet, he also noted that “IOM can only do its work in close cooperation with its partners,” and thus warmly thanked all the partners present in the room for their positive cooperation.

Following the Chief of Mission’s speech, the Head of the Migration and Development Group at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Nathalie Lintvelt, took the floor. In her speech, she outlined some of the main Dutch governmental initiatives on migration, including the Integrated Agenda on Migration and the National Action Plan of Human Trafficking, and proudly underlined the Netherlands’ role as a major contributor to IOM core funding.

Ms. Lintvelt praised IOM for its “expertise, extensive field presence and operational flexibility,” which allow the organization to provide support to both governments and migrants. In particular, she highlighted the key role of IOM in a number of fields, including but not limited to voluntary returns and data collection, and praised the worldwide cooperation between IOM and the Netherlands in raising awareness on the risks of irregular migration.

After the end of the keynote speeches, the attention of the guests was moved from the stage to the opposite side of the reception room, where delicious food from Brazil, India and Ghana was ready to be tasted. The guests kept mingling, enjoying the different dishes kindly offered by IOM and discussing about several migration issues, as well as a number of other topics.

The upcoming year will be another key year for migration. As Mr. Polosa noted, the United Nations is set to undergo a complex reform process, and IOM too is looking at reviewing its internal mechanisms. Under the new IOM leadership of DG Antonio Vitorino these reform processes are expected to lead towards even greater effectiveness in performing the core task of IOM: “to promote the management of migration for the benefit of all, while also advocating for safe, regular and dignified migration paths and keep saving lives of those in need.”

Photography by Roy Strik for Diplomat Magazine.

Over 600 people gather at the Indian Ambassador’s residence in Wassenaar, Netherlands to celebrate the 70th Republic Day of India

Over 600 people gathered at the residence of the Ambassador of India to the Netherlands H.E. Mr. Venu Rajamony in Wassenaar this morning (January 26) for a flag hoisting function to celebrate India’s 70th Republic Day. The celebrations began with the hoisting of the National flag by the Ambassador, singing of the National anthem and reading out of President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the nation. This was followed by a performance of patriotic songs. 

The event was attended by H.E. Mr. Bas Eenhoorn, Mayor of Amstelveen, H.E.  Sheikh Mohammed Belal, Ambassador of Bangladesh and H.E. Justice Dalveer Bhandari, Judge at the International Court of Justice and  prominent members of the Indian community residing in the Netherlands.

The flag-hoisting function witnessed a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, especially members of the Surinami-Hindustani community and friends of India who came together to celebrate this important day. 

The Republic Day celebrations also witnessed a special announcement by Ambassador Venu Rajamony on liberalization of provisions regarding Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) status by the Government of India for members of the Surinami-Hindustani community. Earlier, there was a limitation that OCI could be issued only to four generations of the original forefathers who had migrated from India. Consequently, many young members of the Surinami-Hindustani community belonging to fifth and subsequent generations could not avail of this benefit. 

As a result of persistent efforts by the Embassy, the Government of India has decided that, henceforth descendants up to sixth generation of the original Indian immigrants who had arrived in Suriname and later migrated to The Netherlands may be considered for OCI.

 Ambassador Venu Rajamony invited all members of Surinami-Hindustani community who do not have an OCI card to apply for the same at the earliest. He also announced that because mandatory conscription was in force in the Netherlands prior to 1996, those members of the Surinami-Hindustani Community who were excluded from the OCI scheme can also now apply for OCI.

     The Netherlands has the largest population of Overseas Indians in mainland Europe, majority belonging to the 200,000 strong Surinami-Hindustani community whose ancestors were taken as indentured labour from India to Suriname 145 years ago.

The Ambassador of India, His Excellency Mr. Venu Rajamony and the mayor of Utrecht, Mr. Jan van Zanen

By Anton Lutter.

The exhibition Buddha’s Life, Path to the Present provided the backdrop of the 70^th Republic Day of India reception at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Objects from the third century until 2018 could be enjoyed by a fully packed church – including the guests of honor, the Kings Commissioner of Drenthe Mrs. Jetta Klijnsma and the Mayor of Utrecht Mr. Jan van Zanen – all guests of H.E. Mr. Venu Rajamony, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In his speech the ambassador mentioned the strong relations between his country and The Netherlands: “2018 has been an action-packed year. Since last January, Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited India accompanied by four senior Ministers, the Mayor of The Hague and the largest ever trade delegation comprising around 130 companies.

Prime Minister Rutte’s visit was quickly followed by a visit to India by Queen Máxima in her capacity as UN Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. Two senior Ministers from India, the Minister for Food Processing and the Minister for Traditional Indian Medicine and Yoga visited the Netherlands. Mr. Menno Snel, State Secretary for Finance just returned to the Netherlands from a visit to India”.

The Mayor of Utrecht – who had visited India before – noted that “This friendship started almost 400 years ago. On the west coast of India, Dutch merchants closed an important pepper trade deal with an Indian ruler. And shortly after that, they opened a trade office. I am curious what their first impressions of India were. I could try to make a guess…The colours, the perfumes, the music, the fascinating people… it must have been a different, exciting and an enchanting, new world of many impressions to the visitors from Holland”.

The exhibition on Buddha inspired Mr. Rajamony to highlight the importance of Buddhism to the people of India. In his speech he noted that “Siddhārtha Gautama or The Buddha, ladies and gentlemen, is amongst the greatest of India’s children. Buddhism is believed to be the fourth largest religion in the world with a following of around 520 million. The religion took birth in India somewhere between the 6th to 4th centuries before the Christian era and then rapidly spread to other parts of Asia. Many of you would be familiar with the rich art and culture associated with Buddhism which can be seen in India and many other countries. A sample awaits you as part of the exhibition.

What is perhaps less known outside India is the major role and influence Gautama Buddha and his teachings had on the founding of our nation, our vision of the world and the Constitution whose adoption we celebrate today as Republic Day. Needless to say, the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi also drew direct inspiration from the teachings of the Buddha for his philosophy of non-violence”.

After mayor Jan van Zanen’s speech the ambassador invited all the guests to a lavish dinner which showcased the great culinary tradition of India. Next to the many distinguished guests from the diplomatic corps and the Indian business community in The Netherlands we noticed amongst others the former Queen’s Commissioner of Limburg Berend-Jan baron van Voorst tot Voorst and the former Minister of Justice Uri Rosenthal.

Friday, 25 January 2019, Brussels: Renée Webb, a former Progressive Labour Party Tourism Minister shall henceforth represent the Bermudian Government vis-à-vis the European Union in matters handled by the overseas British territory. 

Premier of Bermuda, David Burt opened the office flanked by Director Webb during a ceremony, and subsequent reception well-attended particularly by ambassadors representing the African, Caribbean and South Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) as well as Indian representative to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg, Ambassador Gaitri Issar Kumar. 

Premier Burt during his allocution highlighted that the new office had been set up because constant engagement vis-à-vis the EU was needed au lieu of  “shuttle diplomacy”.

Renée Webb, a former tourism minister, graduated from Queen’s University in Canada with a BA in political studies and went on to pursue a master’s degree in international relations in Paris. She studied international human rights law at the Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, and was picked for an internship at the UNESCO human rights department in Paris.

Belgium has three official national languages, French, Dutch and German, however, French is the most-spoken in Brussels City.

Premier Burt mentioned that Director Webb had been hired pro tempore for a year, and her duties include managing the office, advising the Bermuda Government on all relevant European matters and liaising with the island’s London office. Likewise she shall represent the Government in meetings, conferences and on other occasions when necessary.

The Premier of Bermuda said the Government’s presence in Brussels is meant to enhance its relationships with EU institutions, member states and European businesses.

As a British Overseas Territory Bermuda’s foreign affairs are handled by the UK, nevertheless, the country maintains similar offices to the new one in Brussels in London, and Washington D.C. to promote Bermudian economic interests. 

For further information Premier David Burt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_David_Burt
EU-Bermuda relations: https://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/countries/bermuda_en
Government of Bermuda: https://www.gov.bm/government