By Roy Lie Atjam.
Wassenaar, 7th September 2018, on the occasion of the 196th anniversary of the independence of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Ambassador H.E. Mrs. Regina Maria Cordeiro Dunlop and Ambassador Ronaldo Edgar Dunlop, along with the embassy team gathered at the Ambassador’s residence in Wassenaar.
Members of the Diplomatic Corps in the Netherlands as well as personalities of the art, sports, business, politic and academic world attended the festive reception.
Ambassador ReginaMaria Cordeiro Dunlop delivered a powerful extemporaneous speech welcoming and thanking all for joining in the celebration of the memorable day.
On 7 September 1822, Brazil declared Independence. Prince Pedro, son of Portugal’s king, stood near Brazil’s Ipiranga river and made an announcement of independence. He tore the Portuguese symbol from his uniform and declared, “By my blood, by my honor, and by God: I will make Brazil free.”
After that Prince Pedro became the Emperor of Brazil and forced Portuguese army to leave the territory.
There was a movement for independence led by Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes. Prompted by the American Revolution and the French Philosophes, he organized the Inconfidencia Mineira in Minas Gerais demanding complete independence from Portugal.
Up to date, Tiradentes is still an iconic personality, glorified in songs such as Martinho da Vila’s HistĂłria da Liberdade no Brazil. The country will hold general elections in October this year. Celebrations, elections and more, 2018 is truly a remarkable year.
The Hague, Netherlands — 1 November 2018 — The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, met with the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian as well other senior government officials and think tank representatives during a visit to Paris on 31 October.
22 October 2018, PRC: NRW Economy and Digitalisation Minister Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart began a 40-people strong trade mission with Peking as first station followed by Nanjing and Chendu. On the agenda were topics concerning smart city planning, future mobility and new energies.
Motive behind the visit was the 30th year anniversary of partnerships between NRW and the provinces Jiangsu and Sichuan, with regional capitals Nanjing and Chendu respectively.
As underlined by Minister Pinkwart, the PRC is the second largest trade partner for North Rhine-Westphalia after the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Vice versa NRW enjoys being the region with most foreign direct investment stemming from the PRC. NRW was exceptionally in the aforementioned cities to present new technologies concerning mobility to Chinese partners and investors.
In Peking the Minister paid a visit to Huawei, the Xiaoying Bus Terminal, by far the largest electrobus station worldwiede as well as the start-up Street Innoway.
On the picture Vice-President of India Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Botswana, Bogolo Kenewendo, Vice-President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane – Picture by Global.
30 October to 2 November 2018, Gabarone, Republic of Botswana: Under the auspices of Vice-President of Botswana, His Honour Slumber Tsogwane, Global Expo Botswana (GEB) opened ceremoniously hosting the Vice-President of India, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu, as chief guest.
The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry of Botswana lead by The Hon Bogolo Kenewendo is the mastermind behind this successful Global Expo that aides to find new partnerships for the country’s industries. More importantly it entices investors to the country that is diversifying away from its dependence on the diamond industry.
This tenth edition is organised as usual by Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), and features its much-appreciated business to business (B2B) multi-sectoral match-making. In the words of BITC’s CEO Keletsositse Olebile they are “glad to expand to further markets, and be able to capitalise on the positive labels attached to Botswana yet there is much to be done as the country is relatively unknown on the international stage”.
“Seizing opportunities through networking with global business leaders” is this year’s motto, which sees an increase to 17 partaking countries, including partners from India, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as the limitrophe countries of South Africa, eSwatini, Zimbabwe or Mozambique.
VP of India Venkaiah Naidu, VP of Botswana Slumber Tsogwane, Minister Bogolo Kenewendo and BITC CEO Keletsositse Olebile – Picture by Global Expo Botswana.
All in all, Botswana is a politically and economically stable as well as one of the fastest growing economies in southern African region. There are no foreign exchange control in the region. The businesses seeking to do business in Botswana can tap the lucrative markets by participating in the Global Expo Botswana (GEB).
This trade and investment platform gives opportunity to exhibitors and visitors alike to promote their businesses and to encourage intra-regional trade. Originally conceptualised in the year 2006 by the Government of Botswana, GEB is a business to business (B2B) expo organized every year end of October.
The focus is to promote exports of goods manufactured in Botswana, promote trade between Botswana and other countries, attract foreign direct investment (FDI), expansion of domestic investment, promote joint-venture opportunities between citizens and foreign investors and stimulate a culture of entrepreneurship locally.
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By Roy Lie Atjam.
On October 26th 2018 (Oct 26-Feiertag) Austria celebrates its 63rd year of independence. 2018 is also a year of celebrations and reflection as the country celebrates the Centenary of the proclamation of the second Republic of Austria.
The memorable day was celebrated in The Hague on Thursday 25 October 2018, H.E. Ambassador Heidemaria Gürer and spouse Mr. Nadir Gürer, opened wide the doors of the Austrian residence. Over a hundred guests attended the event, including the president of the Dutch senate, the viceroy, ambassadors, the Austrian society, friends and other well wishers.The reception was a demonstration of Austrian hospitality.
There was plenty food, such as typical Austrian sausage and wine from a private vineyard to go around. In her welcome remarks, Ambassador GĂĽrer focus was on the bilateral relations between Austria and the Netherlands.
Furthermore, the Ambassador reiterated in her speech the priorities of the current Austrian EU Council Presidency with its motto “A Europe that protects”: Migration, the digitalisation of the economy and EU of the economy and EU enlargement/South Eastern Europe.
Ambassador GĂĽrer further related,
“the Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union to give the bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for organizing many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields.In the latter case, it is gratifying that after 23½ (three and twenty and a half) years an Austrian Chancellor was visiting the Netherlands again. Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.And what about the upcoming official visit to the Netherlands next month of the Austrian Federal President with that beautiful Dutch name: Alexander Van der Bellen. It is already 26 (six and twenty) years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. Milestones in the 360 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.In the context of the current Austrian EU Council Presidency, almost all Dutch ministers were now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts.The Netherlands and Austria are in the fortunate circumstance to think the same about many issues. Federal Chancellor Kurz mentioned the Netherlands in a telling way: “the country in the EU with the most identical positions”.AnkieBroekers-Knol, President of the Senate of the Netherlands.
A next speaker at the National Day reception was Madam AnkieBroekers-Knol, President of the Senate of the Netherlands.
“Es ist eine grosse Ehre fĂĽr mich heute anlässlich des Nationalfeiertages der Bundesrepubliek Oesterreich eine Rede halten zu können. Ich habe mich ĂĽberlegt meine Rede auf Deutsch oder auf Holländisch zu halten, aber wegen die viele ausländische Gäste scheint es mir besser fĂĽr meine Rede die Englische Sprache zu benĂĽtzen.”In three weeks’ time we will receive Bundespräsident Van der Bellen at the States General. This visit will also underline the further strengthening of relations between our two countries and our parliaments. Our relations go back to 1477 when the Burgundian empire and the Habsburg empire became linked as a result of the marriage between emperor Maximilian I of Austria and Maria of Burgundy.In May this year I had to honour to receive the Grosses Goldenes Ehrezeichen am Bande der Republik Oesterreich. On that very special – private – occasion I had the opportunity to thank the Bundespräsident and you for the honour bestowed on me. In my speech I quoted part of the Austrian anthem and I gladly do it again today: “Mutig in die neuenZeiten Frei und glaubigsiehunsschreitenArbeitsfroh und hoffnungsreich (…..) Vielgeliebtes Oesterreich”The President of the Senate, the Honourable Ankie Broekers-Knol at Austria National Day 2018.I congratulate Austria and all Austrians with this Nationalfeiertag. Especially in this particular year of the 100 year celebration of the foundation of the Republic of Austria and Austria holding the six month presidency of the European Union. In the Netherlands we cherish the excellent bond between Austria and the Netherlands, both bilaterally and within the European Union. We do hope and trust that this bond will remain tight for many years to come. It is an honour to celebrate this important day with you. Herzlichen GlĂĽckwunsch.”
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Photography courtesy of Peter Janisch. Â
The Hague, Netherlands —29 October 2018 — The Director-General of the OPCW, H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, addressed the annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) about the importance of cooperation between and chemical industry for attaining the goals of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
In the meeting, which took place in Amsterdam on 26 October, the Director-General expressed: “Cooperation between us is vital for the fulfilment of the promise of the Convention — a world free of chemical weapons.” He also highlighted challenges facing the OPCW such as the re-emergence of chemical weapons. He underscored, “The re-emergence of chemical weapons is a collective threat that can only be dealt with through collective action”.
The ICCA Board members expressed their continuing commitment to work together for the use of chemistry to the benefit of humankind. The ICCA Board of Directors consists of Chief Executive Officers and other top executives of leading chemical manufacturers from around the world. The Board guides the activities of ICCA, whose member associations and manufacturers represent over 90% of global chemical sales.
The Director-General also attended and addressed the annual meeting of the OPCW-ICCA Joint Steering Committee to review progress made in the past year and discuss priorities for the future. The Committee was established through an exchange of letters in 2015 and serves as a mechanism to guide cooperation and joint activities between the OPCW and ICCA.
The Hague, 29 October 2018– Mechanism Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will visit Sarajevo from 29 to 31 October, as part of preparations for his regular biannual report to the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Prosecutor Brammertz will meet with Acting Chief Prosecutor Gordana Tadić and President Ranko Debevec to discuss the status of war crimes processing in Bosnia and Herzegovina, cooperation with and support from the Mechanism Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and potential solutions to challenges in regional judicial cooperation in war crimes cases.
During his visit, the Prosecutor will also meet with members of the Regional Coordinating Body of Families’ Associations and of associations for missing persons from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is expected that Prosecutor Brammertz will present his next report to the UNSC around 11 December 2018.
Dutch Royal Couple, Premier Malu Dreyer and Mayor of Trier Wolfram Leibe at the Porta Nigra in Trier – Picture by Jasper Kettner, Royal Dutch Embassy in Germany.
Wednesday and Thursday, 10-11 October 2018, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany: Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands paid a working visit to the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
On Thursday, 11 October King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were received with high honours at the State Chancery of the Saarland in SaarbrĂĽcken by Premier Tobias Hans and the latter’s spouse Tanja Hans. The meeting was followed by a luncheon at SaarbrĂĽcken Castle, which once belonged to a line of the House of Nassau.
Ambassador GĂĽrer further related,
“the Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union to give the bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for organizing many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields.
In the latter case, it is gratifying that after 23½ (three and twenty and a half) years an Austrian Chancellor was visiting the Netherlands again. Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
And what about the upcoming official visit to the Netherlands next month of the Austrian Federal President with that beautiful Dutch name: Alexander Van der Bellen. It is already 26 (six and twenty) years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. Milestones in the 360 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.
In the context of the current Austrian EU Council Presidency, almost all Dutch ministers were now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts.
The Netherlands and Austria are in the fortunate circumstance to think the same about many issues. Federal Chancellor Kurz mentioned the Netherlands in a telling way: “the country in the EU with the most identical positions”.
Ambassador GĂĽrer further related,
“the Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union to give the bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for organizing many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields.
In the latter case, it is gratifying that after 23½ (three and twenty and a half) years an Austrian Chancellor was visiting the Netherlands again. Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
And what about the upcoming official visit to the Netherlands next month of the Austrian Federal President with that beautiful Dutch name: Alexander Van der Bellen. It is already 26 (six and twenty) years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. Milestones in the 360 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.
In the context of the current Austrian EU Council Presidency, almost all Dutch ministers were now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts.
The Netherlands and Austria are in the fortunate circumstance to think the same about many issues. Federal Chancellor Kurz mentioned the Netherlands in a telling way: “the country in the EU with the most identical positions”.
