By Abraham Telar Kuc.
For years tensions have been rising between the Nile river basin countries over the sharing and management of the Nile water, as Ethiopia, Uganda and many other countries questioning and refusing the water allocation percentages and the rights given to Egypt and Sudan in different agreements concerning Nile river water sharing, usage and management; saying that all the agreements governing the Nile water were signed between Great Britain and Egypt during the colonial era but former British colonies and current independent African nations are saying that all those agreements didn’t represent their interests and do not reflect their past and current needs because it allocate most of the Nile waters to two countries out of ten which are only Egypt and Sudan.
As a continued disagreement between Nile basin countries in 2010 Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Kenya signed the Cooperative Framework Agreement known as Entebbe agreement in Kampala- Uganda while Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of Congo did not singe the Agreement; with Egypt and Sudan boycotted the negotiations sessions and decline the signing of Entebbe agreement as it not preserve Egypt historic rights.
Adding more tensions Ethiopia uses its rights according to the provisions in CFA or Entebbe agreement; Ethiopia proceeded constructing its African largest dam under the name” the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)” on the Nile which will have storage of around 74 billion cubic meters from Nile water.
All stakeholders and countries in the Nile river basin should cooperate and use the diplomatic means to help addressing disagreement and rising tensions concerning Nile water allocation and management. The diplomacy as a practice of human interaction has been there from the beginning of the organized society of states, Diplomacy as an art and practice in conducting and management of international relations through negotiations and treaties between certain states (Hamilton and Langhorne, 1995). And since it’s exiting in international relation system, diplomacy has been always a way of settling political and international differences, religious and ideological conflicts, boundaries dispute and other territorial conflict.
Regardless South Sudan is been protesting the Nile water distribution agreements signed between British, Egypt and Sudan in 1959, and considering it’s planning to sign and ratify 2010 Cooperative Framework Agreement of the Nile basin countries; but it did not join what know commonly as Entebbe Agreement and South Sudan maintain a very strong and strategic relations with all the Nile Basin countries specially Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt and others which could be great opportunity for South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to initiate a diplomatic approaches to encourage the member states of the Nile Basin for diplomatic, political, socioeconomic, sports, arts and cultural engagements as cooperative means in the Nile Basin.
With South Sudan being a member of East Africa Community which includes Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan and all the mentioned countries make up six out of eleven members of the Nile Basin adding to that South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eretria and Democratic Republic of Congo some time face shaky and complexities relations but they have a stable diplomatic and cooperative relations; meanwhile South Sudan maintain stable and strategic bilateral relation with the Arab Republic of Egypt where their two government nearly agree on everything about their relations and cooperation.
In the same regarding with the Republic of Sudan the two countries are been recently shifting their relations to a very fruitful stage of their cooperation; the Ministry Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with relevant cultural and public diplomacy institutions such as office of the President, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, South Sudan Football Association, education and learning institution like the Institute for Peace, Development and Security Studies in the University of Juba, media houses and other related bodies which can help the Ministry Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to develop diplomacy farm work initiative by creating different projects in the field of enhancing cooperation practice between the member countries.
A sit’s been stated clearly in the article 43 of the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan that Foreign policy of the Republic of South Sudan shall serve and promote the international cooperation between the United Nations members, African Union and the other regional bodies and organizations with respect to international laws establishing international order based human peace and security justice and common human destiny to achieve economic cooperation among worlds countries; South Sudan can be the middle ground for solving Nile Basin initiative.
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The author is Journalist, Blogger, TV Producer, Cultural, Political and Youth Activist, postgraduate student of Diplomacy and International Relation at the Institute of Peace, Development and Security Studies- University of Juba; and working currently with South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation and be contacted through E-mail : telar.abra@gmail.com or tell No : +211912577222
Twelve days in Cuba Text & Photography by Kim Vermaat
Cuba, an internationally coveted destination for globetrotters, is enjoying a strong summer season in its tourism and hospitality industries this year, boasting over two million visitors thus far.
These industries continue to grow in defiance of the realities brought on by the aftermath of Hurricane Irma and the US-blockade. In large part, this is thanks to the rise in visitors from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Russia.
The majority — 63 percent — of its hotels are rated four and five stars, and 74 percent are within close proximity of a beach. Cuba’s first new 5-star hotel, the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski, can be found in the heart of the UNESCO-protected Old Havana. Many other big European hotel chains can also be found housed in beautiful, historic buildings throughout the country.
The island consists of 15 provinces and is 11 million people strong in its population. It is well known, of course, for the allure of its tepid, azure ocean waters, its white sand beaches, and its world-renowned cocktails and music. But perhaps its most understated quality is the sense of safety one may enjoy while exploring the country, as crime against tourists is virtually nonexistent. Cubans are a true mix of many ethnicities and cultures.
Not only can you see it in its centuries-old cities’ architecture that still wears its charm with much pride and valor; it is representative also in the passion that is poured into its vibrant-colored arts and crafts that depict everyday life. It is even apparent in the rhythmic melody of its verbal communication.
Getting around is pretty easy, as tour operators and their fleet of air-conditioned buses move regularly and swiftly. Tropicana Touristik planned everything for us in a very swift and smooth way. The roads, while nearly always empty due to the scarcity of cars on the island, are well connected, making for easy movement from one city to another. Internet has been available since 2016 and is easiest to connect to at hotels and plazas/parks. Being unplugged from the otherwise ever-present internet of the West, offers an opportunity to truly be present in the now.
Trinidad, Cuba.
During our 12-day experience, we visited four cities in four separate provinces: Havana (La Habana in Spanish) in Cuidad de Habana, Viñales in Pinar del Rio, Cienfuegos in Cienfuegos, and Trinidad in Sancti Spiritus.
La Habana is the country’s capital and largest city. It is also its own province and houses the nation’s largest port and the heart of its commerce. Over two million Cubans call it home, making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region. Founded in the 16th century by Spanish Conquistadors because of its location, it served as a key post for their journey to and from the Americas. The city is rich in Spanish architecture and its streets are flooded with vintage American cars from the 1950s in myriad colors. Notably, since 1982, Old Havana has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Viñales is a quaint (would quaint be a better word here?), small town in the island’s countryside. It is the site of the most important natural reserve and is also where the majority of the nation’s tobacco is produced, due to its climate. Housing in Viñales consists mostly of colorful, one-story, wooden houses with porches and matching rocking chairs out front.
Many are known as ‘casas particulares’, which are private homes that offer private lodging to foreigners, very much like a bed-and-breakfast – a unique opportunity to experience life as the locals see it. Its breathtaking landscape makes it a winner for nature lovers and horseback trekkers, alike. Viñales Valley is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cienfuegos (one hundred fires in Spanish) is on the southern coast in the heart of the former sugar plantations. Originally home to the Taino indigenous people, the city was settled by the Spanish and later by French immigrants from Bordeaux – many of the street names in Old Town still reflect French origins.
Its affluent European history is still visible by its countless prestigious buildings harkening to a bygone heyday. Visiting this city is like taking a step back in time. Some of the casas particulares in Cienfuegos are Italian Baroque designed palaces that allow one to experience life in all the glamor of that era.
Trinidad is described by many as La Perla del Sur (the Pearl of the South), because it is one of the best-preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time when sugar trade was the main industry in the region – today the main industry is tobacco processing. It lays in central Cuba and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Modern day life influences have not yet visibly tarnished this special place. Small houses line the streets and cobble stone roads lead you to visual treasures upon treasures to discover. It’s as if the Spanish Conquistadors had just left, certainly when locals pass by on horse and carriage.
Fun Facts:
– School enrollment is mandatory and free from the ages of 6 to 15. Grades 10-12 are considered pre-college for university bound students. University students receive stipends while enrolled in any of the 47 universities on the island.
– Enviable literacy rate – 99.8% amongst its adult population.
– The national healthcare system, available only to locals, has an impressive 170 patients to every doctor ratio (compared to over 300 in other places). Nearly all medical procedures are covered, including some cosmetic surgery that would be considered optional in the vast majority of other countries.
– The lack of fast food restaurant chains that litter seemingly every street in nearly every other land is refreshing. In their stead you will find hundreds of restaurants and street vendors ready to serve.
– The streets tend to be relatively empty between 11-18:00 due to unbearable heat. Folks get their errands done quickly during the cooler morning hours, and then stay indoors until sunset. The streets then come alive with a vengeance in the evenings. Everyone from babies in strollers to the elderly in wheelchairs are carted out to the town squares for playtime, mingling and, of course, to ignore one another as we do nowadays while seemingly everyone logs onto the web.
– Approximately 200 varieties of palm trees exist on our planet – 90 of them can be found in Cuba.
– Ernest Hemingway lived on the island for more than 20 years, on-and-off. Before purchasing his home off the beaten path (now a museum) he lived in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana. El Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana’s Old Town are considered to be bars Hemingway patronized and, as such, are still tourist hotspots.
– The fruit – my Orishas! – avocados are the size of a rugby ball, mangoes are that of a volley ball, while the coconuts are at least that of a football… and the taste is incomparable!
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For more pictures related to this article, please visit: www.kimvermaat.com/l/cuba Tour operator: Tropicana Touristik in Berlin – www.tropicana-touristik.de
By Dr. Eugenio Matos G.
When you are next deciding where to spend your holidays, consider Uzbekistan. This exquisitely beautiful nation brings together East and West, and offers an abundance of delightful new discoveries for any traveller visiting for the first time
The major cities of Uzbekistan are known as the pearls of the “Great Silk Road”, travel destinations and cities that have absorbed all the singularity and unique beauty of the East. Visiting these cities allows one to be transported back to the atmosphere of a medieval city, to an era in which the Uzbek people made history.
The territory that comprises modern-day Uzbekistan has formed part of the world’s oldest and most prominent civilizations and empires, such as the Khorezm, the Sogdiana, the Greco-Bactrian, Kushan Kingdom, the Empire of Alexander the Great and Tamerlane.
Tashkent, the capital city, is called the “Star of the East”, combining modernity and antiquity that goes back more than two millenniums.It is now the foremost business and cultural center in the region. The most well known historical monument in Tashkent is KukerdashMadrassh, built in the 16th century during the rule of the UabekShaybanid sultans Barak Khan and Dervish Khan.
The Savitsky Museum in Nakus has more than 90,000 exhibits with the world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde pieces and art from across Uzbekistan.
But there is a particular venue that visitors cannot miss.
Go to a bazaar (public market) to feel the real heartbeat of Uzbek life, and to truly understand the nation’s customs and traditions, including its many unique national products.
An oriental bazaar serves many functions: as a modern supermarket, a social club for communication amongst locals and foreigners, a source for the latest news, a business hub and an entertainment centre.
Chief among the bazaars in Tashkent Chorsu bazaar, which is both the largest and oldest in the city. Bazaars have been popular since the time of the Great Silk Road that passed through Tashkent.
Chorsu bazaar is located in the heart of the Old City. Walking inside the turquoise dome, you encounter a wide variety of spices, fruits, vegetables, traditional carpets, arts and crafts, as well as an impressive fish and meat market and many traditional style restaurants. A taxi can take you the bazaar to any of the main hotels in Tashkent for as little as three Euros, and there is also a convenient Metro network.
If you go to the City of Samarkand you will also encounter an unforgettable and unique oriental bazaar. If you are part of an organised excursion, ask your guide to include the Samarkand bazaar, for a truly memorable experience.
The oriental market is a special place which has retained its original character from centuries ago. Even though few people speak English in Uzbekistan, locals are friendly and helpful towards foreigners and are sure to make your visit enjoyable. And don’t forget: Uzbekistan is also in the top 10 safest countries in the world!
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About the author: Dr. Eugenio Matos is a Hon. Associate Publisher Diplomat Magazine and a Senior specialist in Public Diplomacy. drembassy1@gmail.com
By H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
At the end of July, I took office as the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the OPCW not only oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons but also works to prevent the proliferation of dangerous chemicals and to improve the safety and security of the management of such chemicals.
We must take into account the fact that we live surrounded by chemicals (used in e.g. agriculture, medicine, pharmaceuticals, industry, etc) and the OPCW has the responsibility to contribute to the peaceful uses of such chemicals while protecting the public and the environment.
Since entering into force in 1997, the CWC remains the foundation of global efforts to eliminate and prevent the spread and use of chemical weapons. Indeed, it is arguably the most successful treaty of its kind, banning a wholecategory of weapons of mass destruction under a strict and effective global verification regime.
One remarkable achievement of the Convention is that it has yielded concreteand measurable disarmament progress. Today, over 96 percent of all declared chemical weapon stockpiles have been irreversiblydestroyed under the watchful eye of OPCW inspectors. One hundred percent of declared stockpiles will be eliminated once the United States completes its chemical demilitarisation process, planned to happen by 2023.
When this occurs, the OPCW will have overseen the destruction of some 72,000 metric tonnes ofthe most lethal substances ever created by humankind.Our ability to monitor these destruction activities and industrial production has been central tobuilding confidence in the Convention and reinforcing trust between the States Parties. Chemical industry has been an essential partner in ensuring that verification is conductedsmoothly and thoroughly. So far, more than 3,500 inspections of industrial facilities have beenconducted in 82 countries since the CWC came into force.
Universality is also well within our grasp. At present, 193 countries have joined theConvention – the highest level of adherence of any disarmament treaty. Only four countries have yet to become members of the CWC: Egypt, Israel, North Korea, and South Sudan. We are making every effort to convince them to join the overwhelming majority of the world in ourendeavour to permanently eradicate chemical weapons.
Undeniably, we are all safer today because of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Much ofthe OPCW’s activities have occurred out of the spotlight and off thefront page of the news. But the international community did recognise the importance of ourwork when, in 2013, the OPCW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts toeliminate global stocks of chemical weapons.At the same time that the OPCW has made progress in its disarmament mission, it has had tocontend with the on-going use of chemical weapons. Syria has been the biggest challenge in this regard.
After the Syrian Arab Republic joined the CWC in 2013, the OPCW worked swiftly incooperation with the United Nations and more than 30 partner states to dismantle its declared chemical weapons programme. However, chemical attacks have persisted in that country. In response to ongoing and crediblereports of chemical weapons use, a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) was established in April 2014 to examine the allegations on the ground. The FFM’s work has been indispensable in determining that chemicals were used asweapons.
Regrettably, other incidents have arisen around the world. In the past few years we have also witnessed sophisticated nerve agents employed to assassinate individuals in Malaysia and the United Kingdom, resulting in the tragic loss of life.
H.E. Mr. Fernando Arias, OPCW Director General.
The use of chemical weapons should and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Statements of condemnation by themselves are not nearly enough to stem the audacious and continuing use of these inhumane weapons.
Action speaks louder than words. And the States Parties to the CWC have acted. In June this year, the Conference of the States Parties adopted an important decision requesting the Secretariat to put in place arrangements to identify the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic.
This is a crucial new power for the Organisation. Previously, we had only been able to say ifchemical weapons had been used. Now we should be able to identify the perpetrators. Nonetheless, we are not judge and jury; that role is for other institutions to assume. Our contribution will be to attribute responsibility in an impartial, independent, andeffective manner. Implementing the new missionwill require additional resources (human and financial) and appropriate structures.
Attributing responsibility for violations of the Convention’s basic prohibitionextends to non-state actors as well. This reflects the concern over the real threat of chemical terrorism.In recent years, the threat has grown. For instance, in 2015 and 2016, the so-called Islamic Stateof Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) used mustard gas In Iraq and Syria.
In response, in 2017, the OPCW’s Executive Council adopted a landmark decision that addresses the threat posed by non-State actors and reiterates the key role of States Parties in implementing the Convention through their legislation, especially by imposing penal sanctions for violations of its prohibitions.
Finding synergies with other international organisations is also important. As such, we haveestablished a partnership with the United Nations Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force. The OPCW has taken a proactive role within this initiative that includes 37 otherinternational entities. At the same time, the OPCW has developed the capabilities to aid States Parties that are dealingwith chemical incidents, including acts of terrorism.
Coping with the rapid pace of discoveries in science and technology will pose a unique challengeto the Organisation in addition to offering vast opportunities. The evolution of science requires us to adapt and improve our capabilities.Therefore, we aretransforming our current OPCW Laboratory into a Centre for Science and Technology that will allow theOPCW to remain fit for purpose.
Over the next couple of months, this very subject of the future will be at the forefront of theOPCW’s collective mind, as we engage in a once every five year review of the Convention.States Parties will address current challenges and determine the priorities and plansto guide the Organisation for the next five years, and provide the Secretariat with the appropriate means and resources to address these priorities.
Twenty-one years after its entry-into-force, the CWC has reached another critical turning point.Respect for the norm against chemical weapons is under strain, and we risk normalising the use of such weapons.This should serve as a warning. Continual progress requires vigilance else we also risk real reversals.My hope is that nations are prepared to work together to protect and enhance the gains achieved by the CWC.
No doubt, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW are facing serious challenges. I will do my best to steward the Organisation and to ensure the integrity of the Convention. In the meantime, I am pleased to remain a member of The Hague community as we all make our contributions to the City of Peace and Justice.
By Dr. Eugenio Matos G.
Traveling with Uzbekistan Airways is a truly memorable experience, thanks to the personal touch of its flight crew members and the extraordinary level of service that is reminiscent of “la belle epoch” of the airline transportation industry.
The flag carrier is headquartered at Tashkent International Airport and serves destinations in Asia, Europe and North America. The company was founded in 1992 and builds on the legacy of the Uzbekistan division of the former Aeroflot which existed before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan Airways acquired its first Airbus A310-300 in 1993. In late 2008, the company ordered four Boeing 767 in a US$597 million deal. The company acquired its first Boeing 787-8 in 2016.
The Business Class on the 787 features the first fully flat seats of the carrier. In 2017 alone, more than three million passengers used Uzbekistan Airways’ services, contributing to Uzbekistan’s ongoing economic development alongside the carrier’s cargo business.
Uzbekistan Airways has devised a development strategy and special business program aimed at modernizing and unifying its air fleet. The Uzbek national air carrier will soon be putting into service two new Airbus A320 Neos. The newest A320 Neo aircraft have been ordered in a two-class layout, each featuring 150 seats of which 12 will be business class and 138 economy class. They will be 20% more fuel efficient than their predecessors thanks to improved engine and fuselage design.
In 2019, the air carrier’s fleet will receive two new Boeing 787 Dreamliners and with a sixth Dreamliner to follow in early 2020, allowing the carrier to become the leading airline operator in the region.
During the very successful First International Investment Forum in Tourism Sphere which took place in the Uzbeks’ Capital of Tashkent from 19-21 November 2018, Deputy Prime Minister Aziz Aabdukhakimov announced more than 500 infrastructure tourism projects all over the country in order to cope with the increasing number of visitors to Uzbekistan.
The country has received more than 5.1 million visitors in 2018 and the number looks set to grow. These infrastructure projects will be intertwined with the high-speed train connections that are in place in Samarkand (the Pearl of the East), Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, Khiva and other cities.
Main course menu for business class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways:
• Meat snack (includes three kinds of meat products); • Cheese assortment (includes two types of cheese); • Fish snack (includes two types of fish); • Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); • Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); • Bread and baked goods; • Spices and flavorings; • Main course (variety of meat, chicken and fish courses); • Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); • Juices and soft drinks; • Alcoholic drinks (cognac, vodka, champagne, white or red wine, beer).
Main course menu foreconomy class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways: •Cold snack (includes meat products and cheese); •Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); •Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); •Bread and baked goods; •Spices and flavorings; •Main course (meat or chicken); •Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); •Soft drinks (mineral water, still water, carbonate beverages, juices); •Alcoholic drinks (wine) served depending on flight route.
Ambassador Neuhaus attended the Invictus Family & Friends Day in Doorn for the Dutch athletes representing the Netherlands at the 2018 Invictus Games in October in Sydney, Australia.
Australia’s new Ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Matthew Ernest Keith Neuhaus, comes to The Hague with a background in international law, multilateralism and Africa (he grew up in East Africa and has served as Ambassador in Zimbabwe and Nigeria). “My career anchors” he calls them.
As a Masters student at Cambridge University he first visited the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 1986 for a mock court case – or moot. Later in his career he worked on Australia’s international court cases. So it was particularly fitting to commence his posting in The Hague as the head of the Australian delegation in the recent Chagos Islands Case.
Ambassador Neuhaus also came to The Hague in the early 1990s while Legal Adviser at Australia’s Mission to the United Nations as part of the Australian delegation finalising the Chemical Weapons Convention and its implementation. “It is exciting to see the growth of organisations such as the OPCW and ICC since those days” he says.
He is saddened by the controversies and divisions now surrounding their work. “Australia is a strong supporter of the international rules based order and the institutions that underpin this. We need to ensure a shared commitment as nations to the total elimination of chemical weapons and to bring to justice those who commit serious international crimes” he emphasises.
HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, the Ambassador of Australia, H.E. Matthew Neuhaus, Ms. Indra McCormick, Deputy Head of Mission, Mr. Tony Pobjie, First Secretary and Consul, Ms. Michelle McKendry, First Secretary.
While he has a deep interest and commitment to the multilateral work, most of his time is taken up with an increasingly important bilateral relationship with the Netherlands. “We have over 400 years of shared history” he notes, as a result of the Dutch being the first Europeans to sail to Australia’s shores, in 1606, which they named “New Holland”.
The name didn’t stick but the relationship did, with the Dutch active in Asia to this day. More than 300,000 Australians claim Dutch heritage. Formal diplomatic relations were entered into during World War 2 when Australia’s High Commissioner in London became the first accredited Ambassador to the then Government in Exile in London. The Embassy in The Hague was opened with the liberation of the Netherlands, in which many young Australians lost their lives.
12 October 2018: Ambassador Neuhaus opened the exhibitionby Arkeria Rose Armstrong at the Aboriginal Art Gallery Rotterdam In the picture: Mr. Michel Arends and Ms. Danielle van Dam- owners of the Aboriginal Art Gallery Rotterdam, Ms. Arkeria Rose Armstrong – artist, Ambassador Matthew Neuhaus and Mrs. Angela Neuhaus“Few people know that the Netherlands is now Australia’s fourth largest foreign director investor” Ambassador Neuhaus reveals, with only USA, UK and Japan ahead. “While we have an important and growing economic and political relationship with the countries of our Indo-Pacific region, Europe remains crucial. This even more so as we begin negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with Europe, and the Netherlands is a particularly important partner in Europe” he notes.
We also share values and approaches with the Netherlands, including a commitment to global free trade and innovation and promoting the rule of law, free expression and democracy. This makes us important allies internationally. We have worked and fought together against terrorism and injustice, most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq in countering ISIL. We are cooperating closely to pursue truth and justice for the victims and families of the MH17 tragedy in which many of our nationals died.
In the aftermath of the successful Invictus Games in Sydney led by Prince Harry, which support and celebrate injured servicemen and women, Ambassador Neuhaus is looking forward to the next Games in 2020 in The Hague.
Finally as a gender champion he is determined to support increasing gender equality and women in leadership positions in international institutions during his time in The Hague. “It is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do and I look forward to promoting more positive change during my posting here”, he notes.
Unique joint investigation by judiciary and police forces in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Belgium culminates in the largest coordinated joint action against an organised criminal group to date in Europe
During a joint action day starting today in the early hours, judicial and law enforcement authorities in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg have taken coordinated and decisive action against the ‘Ndrangheta. This aggressive, mafia-style organised criminal group is one of the most powerful criminal networks in the world, and controls much of Europe’s cocaine trade, combined with systematic money laundering, bribery and violent acts.
The operation, code-named ‘Pollino’, is the biggest of its kind to date in Europe. Several hundred police, including special intervention units, were engaged in today’s action, together with prosecutors and investigative officers. The judicial authorities and law enforcement agencies involved have been working intensively together since 2016, including in a joint investigation team (JIT) supported by Eurojust, the EU’s Judicial Cooperation Unit, and Europol in The Hague, to prepare the action.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) and Eurojust headquarters.
As a result of close cooperation, almost 4 000 kg of cocaine and hundreds of kilos of other drugs have been detected across Europe during the course of the investigation. By 12:00 on the action day, 84 suspects have been reported arrested, including high-ranking members of the mafia network. An estimated EUR 2 million in criminal assets are expected to be seized, and many witness hearings and house searches will be conducted, securing important evidence to be used at trial. Actions are also taking place in Suriname.
The case originated in 2014, when the Dutch Fiscal, Information and investigation Service (FIOD) referred an investigation of possible money laundering to Eurojust. The investigation looked into partners of Italian restaurants in Horst and Venray in the Netherlands and showed connections to the Nordrhein-Westfalen region in Germany as well as to criminal activity in Reggio Calabria in southern Italy. The Dutch Desk at Eurojust then proactively encouraged the other countries concerned to look into the case.
The ‘Ndrangheta mafia network, which has its base in southern Italy, is known to operate by starting legitimate businesses in other countries as a cover to expand overseas, smuggling drugs, laundering illicit profits and claiming new territories as areas under their control. By splitting the activities per country, the mafia network aims to exploit legal differences between criminal jurisdictions and to escape attention, since each crime, if only investigated separately, may appear as an isolated act rather than part of an international operation.
The creation of a JIT by the Netherlands, Italy and Germany for Operation Pollino in October 2016 had a catalytic effect on the scale and intensity of the investigation. Essentially a legal framework, a JIT is a platform for judiciary and police from different countries to work directly together in a specific case and systematically exchange operational information. Step by step, the authorities involved in Operation Pollino, including investigative judges, worked very intensively together to fit together the pieces, and pooled their knowledge and creativity in order to establish a joint strategy and uncover the actual magnitude and complexity of the criminal activity of the ‘Ndrangheta. The exchange of evidence, which is essential to build solid prosecution cases, has been an important element in preparing today’s action. It was the first JIT with the participation of Italy.
The practical support through EU agencies such as Eurojust and Europol has played a crucial role in Operation Pollino. The JIT has been facilitated and financed by Eurojust, which also organised of a series coordination meetings to regularly bring the actors together, support the development of a joint strategy and facilitate the mutual understanding of the different judicial systems at critical juncures of the investigation. Europol has contributed through extensive data analysis in the context of Analysis Project ITOC, which supports cases investigating the criminal activities of mafia-structured OCGs originating in Italy and impacting other Member States.
During the joint action day, prosecutors from the judicial authorities followed the action in real time from the coordination centre at Eurojust, which allows for swift analysis of new data as it is being collected during the action and makes it possible to adapt the strategy as required. Europol has also assisted the Italian police in the field with a mobile office.
Filippo Spiezia, Vice-President of Eurojust and National Member for Italy, said:
‘Today, we send a clear message to organised crime groups across Europe. They are not the only ones able to operate across borders; so are Europe’s judiciary and law enforcement communities. By working together and using the unique tools at our disposal in the EU, such as the possibility to form a joint investigation team and with the practical support through EU agencies such as Eurojust and Europol, we are able to detect, investigate and prosecute this kind of serious organised crime.’
As of 11:00 today, the following actions and results have been reported:
•Netherlands: 5 arrests. Seizures of almost 4 000 kg of cocaine and 140 kg XTC pills. Dutch investigators from FIOD and the Dutch police have also helped to search in Italy and Germany.
Authorities involved:
Fiscal, Information and Investigation Service (FIOD)
Police National Unit, Dutch National Prosecution Service
•Italy:
The main focus has been in the regions of Calabria and Catanzaro in southern Italy. There have been 41 arrests.
Authorities involved:
Office of the Public Prosecutor of Reggio Calabria
Central Operative Service of the State Police (SCO)
State Police Investigative Department of Reggio Calabria
Central Service of Investigation of the Guardia di Finanza (SCICO)
Police Command for financial investigation of Guardia di Finanza (Valutaria GdF)
Operational anti-drug department of the Guardia di Finanza of Reggio Calabria (GOA)
•Germany:
The main focus has been in the western parts of the Nordrhein-Westfalen region due to its proximity to the ARA harbours. There have been 15 arrests (+ 6 in a related operation).
Authorities involved:
Staatsanwaltschaft Duisburg
Staatsanwaltschaft Aachen
Bundeskriminalamt (BKA)
There has also been close cooperation with other German organised crime investigations, with the Organised Crime Units of the Landeskriminalamt NRW as well as the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Police in Cologne, where coordinated arrests and searches have been executed today.
•Belgium:
The main focus has been in Maasmechelen in Limburg. There have been 4 arrests (+ 10 in a related operation).
Authorities involved:
Public Prosecutor’s Office Limburg
Federal Judicial Police, Limburg
Local Police of Lanaken-Maasmechelen, Limburg
Luxembourg:
Two suspects have been arrested and the national investigation is ongoing.
Authorities involved:
Police Lëtzebuerg
Parquet de Luxembourg
Cabinet d’instruction Luxembourg
Eurojust Q&A (DE, EN, FR, IT and NL):
◦Eurojust: Zentrale Anlaufstelle für den Kampf gegen grenzübergreifendes Verbrechen in der EU und darüber hinaus
◦Eurojust: a one-stop shop for fighting serious cross-border crime in the EU and beyond
◦Eurojust : un « guichet unique » pour lutter contre la forte criminalité transfrontalière dans l’Union européenne et au-delà
◦Eurojust: Un’ unica interfaccia per la lotta contro la criminalità transfrontaliera grave nell’UE e oltre i confini nazionali
◦Eurojust: een ‘onestopshop’ voor de bestrijding van ernstige grensoverschrijdende criminaliteit binnen en buiten de EU
By Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarević.
Following the latest events in and around the Black Sea, two old questions are reappearing. Both are inviting us for a repeated elaboration:
If a Monroe doctrine (about the hemispheric security exclusivity) is recognised at one corner of the globe, do we have a moral right or legal ground to negate it at the other corner? This irrespectively from the fact that Gorbachev-Yeltsin Russia unilaterally renounced the similar explication – the Brezhnev doctrine about irreversibility of communist gains.
Clearly, the ‘might-makes-right’ as a conduct in international relations cannot be selectively accepted. Either it is acknowledged to all who can effectively self-prescribe and maintain such a monopoly of coercion, or it is absolutely (revoked and) condemned as contrary to behaviour among the civilised nations.
Next to the first question is a right of pre-emption.
It is apparent that within the Black Sea theatre, Russia acts in an unwilling, pre-emptive and rather defensive mode. That is not a regime change action on the other continent following the rational of extra security demand by the exclusive few. Fairly, it is an equalising reactive attempt within the near abroad. For the last 25 years, all the NATO military interventions were well beyond its membership zone; none of the few Russian interventions over the same period was outside the parameter of former USSR.
Before closing, let us take a closer look on the problem from a larger historical perspective.
Una hysteria Importante
Historically speaking, the process of Christianization of Europe that was used as the justification tool to (either intimidate or corrupt, so to say to) pacify the invading tribes, which demolished the Roman Empire and brought to an end the Antique age, was running parallel on two tracks. The Roman Curia/Vatican conducted one of them by its hammer: the Holy Roman Empire. The second was run by the cluster of Rusophone Slavic Kaganates, who receiving (the orthodox or true/authentic, so-called Eastern version of) Christianity from Byzantium, and past its collapse, have taken over a mission of Christianization, while forming its first state of Kiev Russia (and thereafter, its first historic empire). Thus, to the eastern edge of Europe, Russophones have lived in an intact, nearly a hermetic world of universalism for centuries: one empire, one Tsar, one religion and one language.
Everything in between Central Europe and Russia is Eastern Europe, rather a historic novelty on the political map of Europe. Very formation of the Atlantic Europe’s present shape dates back to 14th–15th century, of Central Europe to the mid-late 19th century, while a contemporary Eastern Europe only started emerging between the end of WWI and the collapse of the Soviet Union – meaning, less than 100 years at best, slightly over two decades in the most cases. No wonder that the dominant political culture of the Eastern Europeans resonates residual fears and reflects deeply insecure small nations.
Captive and restive, they are short in territorial depth, in demographic projection, in natural resources and in a direct access to open (warm) seas. After all, these are short in historio-cultural verticals, and in the bigger picture-driven long-term policies. Eastern Europeans are exercising the nationhood and sovereignty from quite a recently, thus, too often uncertain over the side and page of history. Therefore, they are often dismissive, hectic and suspectful, nearly neuralgic and xenophobic, with frequent overtones.
Years of Useful Idiot
The latest loss of Russophone Europe in its geopolitical and ideological confrontation with the West meant colossal changes in Eastern Europe. One may look into geopolitical surrounding of at the-time largest eastern European state, Poland, as an illustration of how dramatic was it. All three land neighbors of Poland; Eastern Germany (as the only country to join the EU without any accession procedure, but by pure act of Anschluss), Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union have disappeared overnight. At present, Polish border countries are a two-decade-old novelty on the European political map. Further on, if we wish to compare the number of dissolutions of states worldwide over the last 50 years, the Old continent suffered as many as all other continents combined: American continent – none, Asia – one (Indonesia/ East Timor), Africa – two (Sudan/South Sudan and Ethiopia/Eritrea), and Europe – three.
Interestingly, each and every dissolution in Europe was primarily related to Slavs (Slavic peo-ples) living in multiethnic and multi-linguistic (not in the Atlantic Europe’s conscripted pure single-nation) state. Additionally, all three European fragmentations – meaning, every second dissolution in the world – were situated exclusively and only in Eastern Europe. That region has witnessed a total dissolution of Czechoslovakia (western Slavs) and Yugoslavia (southern Slavs, in 3 waves), while one state disappeared from Eastern Europe (DDR) as to strengthen and enlarge the front of Central Europe (Western Germany).
Finally, countless centripetal turbulences severely affected Eastern Europe following the dissolution of the Soviet Union (eastern Slavs) on its frontiers.
Irredentism in the UK, Spain, Belgium, France and Italy, or Denmark (over Faroe Islands and Greenland) is far elder, stronger and deeper. However, all dissolutions in Eastern Europe took place irreversibly and overnight, while Atlantic Europe remained intact, with Central Europe even enlarging territorially and expanding economically.
Deindustrialized, incapacitated, demoralized, over-indebted, re-feudalized, rarified and de-Slavicized
Finally, East is sharply aged and depopulated –the worst of its kind ever– which in return will make any future prospect of a full and decisive generational interval simply impossible. Honduras-ization of Eastern Europe is full and complete. Hence, is it safe to say that if the post-WWII Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe was overt and brutal, this one is subtle but subversive and deeply corrosive?
The key (nonintentional) consequence of the Soviet occupation was that the Eastern European states –as a sort of their tacit, firm but low-tempered rebellion – preserved their sense of nationhood.
However, they had essential means at disposal to do so: the right to work was highly illuminated in and protected by the national constitutions, so were other socio-economic rights such as the right to culture, language, arts and similar segments of collective nation’s memory. Today’s East, deprived and deceived, silently witnesses the progressive metastasis of its national tissue.
Ergo, euphemisms such as countries in transition or new Europe cannot hide a disconsolate fact that Eastern Europe has been treated for 25 years as defeated belligerent, as spoils of war which the West won in its war against communist Russia.
It concludes that (self-)fragmented, deindustrialized and re-feudalized, rapidly aged rarified and depopulated, (and de-Slavicized) Eastern Europe is probably the least influential region of the world – one of the very few underachievers. Obediently submissive and therefore, rigid in dynamic environment of the promising 21st century, Eastern Europeans are among last remaining passive downloaders and slow-receivers on the otherwise blossoming stage of the world’s creativity, politics and economy. Seems, Europe still despises its own victims…
Terra nullius
Admittedly, by the early 1990s, the ‘security hole’– Eastern Europe, has been approached in multifold fashion: Besides the (pre-Maastricht EC and post-Maastricht) EU and NATO, there was the Council of Europe, the CSCE (after the 1993 Budapest summit, OSCE), the EBRD and EIB. All of them were sending the political, economic, human dimension, commercial signals, assistance and expertise. These moves were making both sides very nervous; Russia becoming assertive (on its former peripheries) and Eastern Europe defiantly dismissive. Until this very day, each of them is portraying the NATO enterprise as the central security consideration: One as a must-go, and another as a no-go.
No wonder that the absolute pivot of Eastern Europe, and the second largest of all Slavic states – Ukraine, is a grand hostage of that very dilemma: Between the eastern pan-Slavic hegemony and western ‘imperialism of free market’. Additionally, the country suffers from the consolidated Klepto-corporate takeover as well as the rapid re-Nazification.
For Ukraine, Russia is a geographic, socio-historic, cultural and linguistic reality. Presently, this reality is far less reflected upon than the seducing, but rather distant Euro-Atlantic club. Ukraine for Russia; it represents more than a lame western-flank’ geopolitical pivot, or to say, the first collateral in the infamous policy of containment that the West had continuously pursued against Russia ever since the 18th century.
For Moscow, Kiev is an emotional place – an indispensable bond of historio-civilizational attachment – something that makes and sustains Russia both Christian and European. Putin clearly redlined it: Sudden annexation of Crimea (return to its pre-1954 status) was an unpleasant and humiliating surprise that brought a lot of foreign policy hangover for both the NATO and EU.
Nevertheless, for the Atlantist alarmists (incl. the Partition studies participants and those working for the Hate industry), military lobbyists and other cold-war mentality ‘deep-state’ structures on all sides, this situation offers a perfect raison d’etre.
Thus drifting chopped off and away, a failed state beyond rehabilitation, Ukraine itself is a prisoner of this domesticated security drama. Yet again, the false dilemma so tragically imploded within this blue state, of a 50:50 polarized and deterritorialized population, over the question where the country belongs – in space, time and side of history. Conclusively, Eastern Europe is further twisting, while gradually combusted between Ukrainization and Pakistanization. The rest of Europe is already shifting the costs of its own foreign policy journey by ‘fracking’ its households with a considerably (politically) higher energy bills.
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About the author: Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarević, chairperson and professor in international law and global political studies, Vienna, Austria. He has authored six books (for American and European publishers) and numerous articles on, mainly, geopolitics energy and technology. For the past decades, he has over 1,200 hours of teaching on the subject International Law and Relations (including lecturing in both Kiev and Moscow universities and Diplomatic Academy).Professor is editor of the NY-based GHIR (Geopolitics, History and Intl. Relations) journal,and editorial board member of several similar specialized magazines on three continents.His 7th book, ‘From WWI to www. – Europe and the World 1918-2018’ is to be realised in December.Earlier version of the text was published by the Vision & Global Trends
Cuba and the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed a Memoradum of Understanding on Preservation of Cultural Underwater Heritage.By H.E. Ms. Soraya Alvarez, Ambassador of Cuba to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Last July 11 on the occasion of celebration of the 116th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Cuba and the Kingdom of the Netherlandshave signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Preservation of Underwater Cultural Heritage between the National Council of Cultural Heritage of Cuba (CNPC) and the Rijksdienstvoor het CultureelErfgoed (RCE) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In the premises of the Second Palace Cape (Palacio del Segundo Cabo) in the Old Havana held the official ceremony of the signature of the MoU. This MoU express the mutual wishes to continue the development of the historical-archaeological research project, entitled: “The Dutch presence in Cuban waters”. The MoU was signed by the President of the CNPC, Ms. Gladys Collazo Usallán and by Mr. Martijn Manders, Head of the Maritime Program of the Netherlands Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE).
The CNPC of Cuba and the RCE of Holland, appear to express their mutual pretensions to continue to develop a joint collaboration, with the aim of enriching knowledge about the historical and cultural heritage of both nations, ensuring that all the activities that derive will be in accordance with the current legislation of both countries and in correspondence with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001), and its Annex.
The MoU as an ‘evidence’ for the equal partnership, balanced input, mutual benefit and long term commitment between both countries in this field.
The ceremony was also attended by executives from the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX), the Ministry of Culture of Cuba (MINCULT), the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cuba, H.E. Mrs. Alexandra Varkenburg as well as myself as the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cuba, H.E. Mrs. Alexandra Varkenburg.
This special ceremony held also in a historic location: The Palace of the Second Cape, where is also located the Center for the Interpretation of Cultural Relations Cuba-Europe. This Center is an institution that proposes a new museography that uses the technologies of computer science and communications, in a museographic discourse that constitutes a meeting space between both regions in the fields of culture and heritage.
In addition, the Palace has a Cartography Room in which Cuban and Dutch institutions have also collaborated intensively, and where is discussed the cartographic representation of Cuba through the centuries; it delves into the geographic knowledge of the time that made it possible and the purposes for which it was made.
At the early date of 1500 the Castilian navigator Juan de la Cosa (ca. 1450-1509) drew up the Universal Charter, whose greatest merit lies in being the oldest surviving cartographic work in which the American continent and Cuba appear.
From then on, in nautical charts, plans, coastal profiles and news recorded, the “Key of the New World and Antemural of the West Indies“, title granted to Havana and then, by extension, to Cuba was studied closely by the Europeans. In the multitouch table of the room the visitor can know singularities of the maps and their authors.
The application, which is subdivided into four main themes: Explorations, Confrontations, Trade and Collection, makes visible a vast Dutch cartography never before seen in our country, belonging to the collections of the National Archive of the Netherlands, the Library of the University of Amsterdam, the Maritime Museum of Rotterdam, the Royal Library of The Hague and the Rijksmuseum.
The paneling also refers to navigators, cartographers, geographers and pedagogues, both Cuban and European, who made significant contributions to the discipline worldwide or in its development in Cuba. We also highlight indispensable instruments for navigation and four audio-visuals that bring us closer to the engravings of the bay of Havana and Santiago, by the Dutch cartographer and water colourist Johannes Vingboons.
Undoubtedly, the signing of this MoU was an excellent incentive to continue developing and expanding bilateral relations and building bridges between both countries in all areas of common interest.
Sitting in a grand living room surrounded by unique Austrian paintings and beautiful mirrors belonging to the ancient house of Austria, the property of her government for more than 30 years, H.E. Ambassador Heidemaria Gürer talks fluently about how Austria is doing and the present state of the nation’s relationship with the Netherlands.
Ambassador Gürer is the head of the Austrian Diplomatic mission, also acting as a representative to some 50 bilateral and multilateral organizations sitting in the Netherlands. Some have commented that she is the most accessible, open and friendly Austrian ambassador to have graced the Netherlands; perhaps it is her background, rich in experiences in unfamiliar countries, that forms the primary reason why ambassador Gürer is so comfortable with all those who have the pleasure of meeting her.
On October 26th 2018 Austria celebrated 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. In the spirit of such celebrations, it’s poignant to note that Dutch-Austrian economic relations are excellent and expanding all the time.
Companies big and small are doing very well. For example SAG produces aluminum here, and in Rotterdam roads and bridges are constructed by Austrian firm Strabag. Clearly, Austria is doing very well and making an impact here in infrastructure, architecture and industry. After Germany, the Netherlands is Austria’s largest market.
Our tourism industry is also expanding in a good direction, it is a special phenomenon attaching us to one-another: during the war many Dutch were in Austria and returning to visit is a kind of ritual for many; with a number coming for both summer and winter holidays. In fact Austria plays host to a great number of Dutch people coming to take advantage of the unique après ski. Now we share a ski Olympic champion, Marcel Hirscher. His mother is Dutch and his father Austrian, and both countries are immensely proud of him.
We have a very rich cultural agenda in the Netherlands that maintains artists from every field, enabling them to flow in both directions. The Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union and given bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for the organization of many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields. In the case of the latter, it is pleasing that after twenty three and a half years an Austrian Chancellor has visited the Netherlands again.
Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. During the visit, Federal Chancellor Kurz acknowledged the similar outlooks shared by the Netherlands and Austria by stating that the Netherlands is “the country in the EU with the most identical positions [to Austria]”. Building upon the success of Federal Chancellor Kurz’s visit, there is an 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 twenty six years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. What we are seeing are 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 are now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts. Additionally the EU presidency will bring political contacts to Austria, with the current priorities, in accordance with its motto “A Europe that protects”, being: migration, the digitalization of the economy and the EU, and EU enlargement in South Eastern Europe.
The island consists of 15 provinces and is 11 million people strong in its population. It is well known, of course, for the allure of its tepid, azure ocean waters, its white sand beaches, and its world-renowned cocktails and music. But perhaps its most understated quality is the sense of safety one may enjoy while exploring the country, as crime against tourists is virtually nonexistent. Cubans are a true mix of many ethnicities and cultures.
Not only can you see it in its centuries-old cities’ architecture that still wears its charm with much pride and valor; it is representative also in the passion that is poured into its vibrant-colored arts and crafts that depict everyday life. It is even apparent in the rhythmic melody of its verbal communication.
Getting around is pretty easy, as tour operators and their fleet of air-conditioned buses move regularly and swiftly. Tropicana Touristik planned everything for us in a very swift and smooth way. The roads, while nearly always empty due to the scarcity of cars on the island, are well connected, making for easy movement from one city to another. Internet has been available since 2016 and is easiest to connect to at hotels and plazas/parks. Being unplugged from the otherwise ever-present internet of the West, offers an opportunity to truly be present in the now.
Cienfuegos (one hundred fires in Spanish) is on the southern coast in the heart of the former sugar plantations. Originally home to the Taino indigenous people, the city was settled by the Spanish and later by French immigrants from Bordeaux – many of the street names in Old Town still reflect French origins.
Its affluent European history is still visible by its countless prestigious buildings harkening to a bygone heyday. Visiting this city is like taking a step back in time. Some of the casas particulares in Cienfuegos are Italian Baroque designed palaces that allow one to experience life in all the glamor of that era.
Trinidad is described by many as La Perla del Sur (the Pearl of the South), because it is one of the best-preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time when sugar trade was the main industry in the region – today the main industry is tobacco processing. It lays in central Cuba and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Modern day life influences have not yet visibly tarnished this special place. Small houses line the streets and cobble stone roads lead you to visual treasures upon treasures to discover. It’s as if the Spanish Conquistadors had just left, certainly when locals pass by on horse and carriage.
Fun Facts:
– School enrollment is mandatory and free from the ages of 6 to 15. Grades 10-12 are considered pre-college for university bound students. University students receive stipends while enrolled in any of the 47 universities on the island.
– Enviable literacy rate – 99.8% amongst its adult population.
– The national healthcare system, available only to locals, has an impressive 170 patients to every doctor ratio (compared to over 300 in other places). Nearly all medical procedures are covered, including some cosmetic surgery that would be considered optional in the vast majority of other countries.
– The lack of fast food restaurant chains that litter seemingly every street in nearly every other land is refreshing. In their stead you will find hundreds of restaurants and street vendors ready to serve.
– The streets tend to be relatively empty between 11-18:00 due to unbearable heat. Folks get their errands done quickly during the cooler morning hours, and then stay indoors until sunset. The streets then come alive with a vengeance in the evenings. Everyone from babies in strollers to the elderly in wheelchairs are carted out to the town squares for playtime, mingling and, of course, to ignore one another as we do nowadays while seemingly everyone logs onto the web.
– Approximately 200 varieties of palm trees exist on our planet – 90 of them can be found in Cuba.
– Ernest Hemingway lived on the island for more than 20 years, on-and-off. Before purchasing his home off the beaten path (now a museum) he lived in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana. El Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana’s Old Town are considered to be bars Hemingway patronized and, as such, are still tourist hotspots.
– The fruit – my Orishas! – avocados are the size of a rugby ball, mangoes are that of a volley ball, while the coconuts are at least that of a football… and the taste is incomparable!
———————————-
For more pictures related to this article, please visit: www.kimvermaat.com/l/cuba
Tour operator: Tropicana Touristik in Berlin – www.tropicana-touristik.de 
The island consists of 15 provinces and is 11 million people strong in its population. It is well known, of course, for the allure of its tepid, azure ocean waters, its white sand beaches, and its world-renowned cocktails and music. But perhaps its most understated quality is the sense of safety one may enjoy while exploring the country, as crime against tourists is virtually nonexistent. Cubans are a true mix of many ethnicities and cultures.
Not only can you see it in its centuries-old cities’ architecture that still wears its charm with much pride and valor; it is representative also in the passion that is poured into its vibrant-colored arts and crafts that depict everyday life. It is even apparent in the rhythmic melody of its verbal communication.
Getting around is pretty easy, as tour operators and their fleet of air-conditioned buses move regularly and swiftly. Tropicana Touristik planned everything for us in a very swift and smooth way. The roads, while nearly always empty due to the scarcity of cars on the island, are well connected, making for easy movement from one city to another. Internet has been available since 2016 and is easiest to connect to at hotels and plazas/parks. Being unplugged from the otherwise ever-present internet of the West, offers an opportunity to truly be present in the now.
Cienfuegos (one hundred fires in Spanish) is on the southern coast in the heart of the former sugar plantations. Originally home to the Taino indigenous people, the city was settled by the Spanish and later by French immigrants from Bordeaux – many of the street names in Old Town still reflect French origins.
Its affluent European history is still visible by its countless prestigious buildings harkening to a bygone heyday. Visiting this city is like taking a step back in time. Some of the casas particulares in Cienfuegos are Italian Baroque designed palaces that allow one to experience life in all the glamor of that era.
Trinidad is described by many as La Perla del Sur (the Pearl of the South), because it is one of the best-preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time when sugar trade was the main industry in the region – today the main industry is tobacco processing. It lays in central Cuba and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Modern day life influences have not yet visibly tarnished this special place. Small houses line the streets and cobble stone roads lead you to visual treasures upon treasures to discover. It’s as if the Spanish Conquistadors had just left, certainly when locals pass by on horse and carriage.
Fun Facts:
– School enrollment is mandatory and free from the ages of 6 to 15. Grades 10-12 are considered pre-college for university bound students. University students receive stipends while enrolled in any of the 47 universities on the island.
– Enviable literacy rate – 99.8% amongst its adult population.
– The national healthcare system, available only to locals, has an impressive 170 patients to every doctor ratio (compared to over 300 in other places). Nearly all medical procedures are covered, including some cosmetic surgery that would be considered optional in the vast majority of other countries.
– The lack of fast food restaurant chains that litter seemingly every street in nearly every other land is refreshing. In their stead you will find hundreds of restaurants and street vendors ready to serve.
– The streets tend to be relatively empty between 11-18:00 due to unbearable heat. Folks get their errands done quickly during the cooler morning hours, and then stay indoors until sunset. The streets then come alive with a vengeance in the evenings. Everyone from babies in strollers to the elderly in wheelchairs are carted out to the town squares for playtime, mingling and, of course, to ignore one another as we do nowadays while seemingly everyone logs onto the web.
– Approximately 200 varieties of palm trees exist on our planet – 90 of them can be found in Cuba.
– Ernest Hemingway lived on the island for more than 20 years, on-and-off. Before purchasing his home off the beaten path (now a museum) he lived in the Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana. El Floridita and La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana’s Old Town are considered to be bars Hemingway patronized and, as such, are still tourist hotspots.
– The fruit – my Orishas! – avocados are the size of a rugby ball, mangoes are that of a volley ball, while the coconuts are at least that of a football… and the taste is incomparable!
———————————-
For more pictures related to this article, please visit: www.kimvermaat.com/l/cuba
Tour operator: Tropicana Touristik in Berlin – www.tropicana-touristik.de 
Chief among the bazaars in Tashkent Chorsu bazaar, which is both the largest and oldest in the city. Bazaars have been popular since the time of the Great Silk Road that passed through Tashkent.
Chorsu bazaar is located in the heart of the Old City. Walking inside the turquoise dome, you encounter a wide variety of spices, fruits, vegetables, traditional carpets, arts and crafts, as well as an impressive fish and meat market and many traditional style restaurants. A taxi can take you the bazaar to any of the main hotels in Tashkent for as little as three Euros, and there is also a convenient Metro network.
If you go to the City of Samarkand you will also encounter an unforgettable and unique oriental bazaar. If you are part of an organised excursion, ask your guide to include the Samarkand bazaar, for a truly memorable experience.
The oriental market is a special place which has retained its original character from centuries ago. Even though few people speak English in Uzbekistan, locals are friendly and helpful towards foreigners and are sure to make your visit enjoyable. And don’t forget: Uzbekistan is also in the top 10 safest countries in the world!
————–
About the author: Dr. Eugenio Matos is a Hon. Associate Publisher Diplomat Magazine and a Senior specialist in Public Diplomacy. drembassy1@gmail.com
Chief among the bazaars in Tashkent Chorsu bazaar, which is both the largest and oldest in the city. Bazaars have been popular since the time of the Great Silk Road that passed through Tashkent.
Chorsu bazaar is located in the heart of the Old City. Walking inside the turquoise dome, you encounter a wide variety of spices, fruits, vegetables, traditional carpets, arts and crafts, as well as an impressive fish and meat market and many traditional style restaurants. A taxi can take you the bazaar to any of the main hotels in Tashkent for as little as three Euros, and there is also a convenient Metro network.
If you go to the City of Samarkand you will also encounter an unforgettable and unique oriental bazaar. If you are part of an organised excursion, ask your guide to include the Samarkand bazaar, for a truly memorable experience.
The oriental market is a special place which has retained its original character from centuries ago. Even though few people speak English in Uzbekistan, locals are friendly and helpful towards foreigners and are sure to make your visit enjoyable. And don’t forget: Uzbekistan is also in the top 10 safest countries in the world!
————–
About the author: Dr. Eugenio Matos is a Hon. Associate Publisher Diplomat Magazine and a Senior specialist in Public Diplomacy. drembassy1@gmail.com
The country has received more than 5.1 million visitors in 2018 and the number looks set to grow. These infrastructure projects will be intertwined with the high-speed train connections that are in place in Samarkand (the Pearl of the East), Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, Khiva and other cities.
Main course menu for business class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways:
• Meat snack (includes three kinds of meat products); • Cheese assortment (includes two types of cheese); • Fish snack (includes two types of fish); • Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); • Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); • Bread and baked goods; • Spices and flavorings; • Main course (variety of meat, chicken and fish courses); • Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); • Juices and soft drinks; • Alcoholic drinks (cognac, vodka, champagne, white or red wine, beer).
Main course menu foreconomy class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways: •Cold snack (includes meat products and cheese); •Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); •Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); •Bread and baked goods; •Spices and flavorings; •Main course (meat or chicken); •Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); •Soft drinks (mineral water, still water, carbonate beverages, juices); •Alcoholic drinks (wine) served depending on flight route. 
The country has received more than 5.1 million visitors in 2018 and the number looks set to grow. These infrastructure projects will be intertwined with the high-speed train connections that are in place in Samarkand (the Pearl of the East), Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, Khiva and other cities.
Main course menu for business class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways:
• Meat snack (includes three kinds of meat products); • Cheese assortment (includes two types of cheese); • Fish snack (includes two types of fish); • Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); • Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); • Bread and baked goods; • Spices and flavorings; • Main course (variety of meat, chicken and fish courses); • Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); • Juices and soft drinks; • Alcoholic drinks (cognac, vodka, champagne, white or red wine, beer).
Main course menu foreconomy class passengers aboard Uzbekistan Airways: •Cold snack (includes meat products and cheese); •Vegetable snack (includes seasonal vegetables); •Dessert (cakes, fresh fruits, dry fruits); •Bread and baked goods; •Spices and flavorings; •Main course (meat or chicken); •Hot drinks(black and green tea, black and white coffee); •Soft drinks (mineral water, still water, carbonate beverages, juices); •Alcoholic drinks (wine) served depending on flight route. 
The MoU as an ‘evidence’ for the equal partnership, balanced input, mutual benefit and long term commitment between both countries in this field.
The ceremony was also attended by executives from the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX), the Ministry of Culture of Cuba (MINCULT), the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cuba, H.E. Mrs. Alexandra Varkenburg as well as myself as the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The MoU as an ‘evidence’ for the equal partnership, balanced input, mutual benefit and long term commitment between both countries in this field.
The ceremony was also attended by executives from the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana (OHC), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba (MINREX), the Ministry of Culture of Cuba (MINCULT), the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Cuba, H.E. Mrs. Alexandra Varkenburg as well as myself as the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Companies big and small are doing very well. For example SAG produces aluminum here, and in Rotterdam roads and bridges are constructed by Austrian firm Strabag. Clearly, Austria is doing very well and making an impact here in infrastructure, architecture and industry. After Germany, the Netherlands is Austria’s largest market.
Our tourism industry is also expanding in a good direction, it is a special phenomenon attaching us to one-another: during the war many Dutch were in Austria and returning to visit is a kind of ritual for many; with a number coming for both summer and winter holidays. In fact Austria plays host to a great number of Dutch people coming to take advantage of the unique après ski. Now we share a ski Olympic champion, Marcel Hirscher. His mother is Dutch and his father Austrian, and both countries are immensely proud of him.
We have a very rich cultural agenda in the Netherlands that maintains artists from every field, enabling them to flow in both directions. The Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union and given bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for the organization of many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields. In the case of the latter, it is pleasing that after twenty three and a half years an Austrian Chancellor has visited the Netherlands again.
Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. During the visit, Federal Chancellor Kurz acknowledged the similar outlooks shared by the Netherlands and Austria by stating that the Netherlands is “the country in the EU with the most identical positions [to Austria]”. Building upon the success of Federal Chancellor Kurz’s visit, there is an 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 twenty six years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. What we are seeing are 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 are now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts. Additionally the EU presidency will bring political contacts to Austria, with the current priorities, in accordance with its motto “A Europe that protects”, being: migration, the digitalization of the economy and the EU, and EU enlargement in South Eastern Europe.
Companies big and small are doing very well. For example SAG produces aluminum here, and in Rotterdam roads and bridges are constructed by Austrian firm Strabag. Clearly, Austria is doing very well and making an impact here in infrastructure, architecture and industry. After Germany, the Netherlands is Austria’s largest market.
Our tourism industry is also expanding in a good direction, it is a special phenomenon attaching us to one-another: during the war many Dutch were in Austria and returning to visit is a kind of ritual for many; with a number coming for both summer and winter holidays. In fact Austria plays host to a great number of Dutch people coming to take advantage of the unique après ski. Now we share a ski Olympic champion, Marcel Hirscher. His mother is Dutch and his father Austrian, and both countries are immensely proud of him.
We have a very rich cultural agenda in the Netherlands that maintains artists from every field, enabling them to flow in both directions. The Embassy has taken advantage of the Presidency of the European Union and given bilateral relations a strong boost. It has been a welcome stepping stone for the organization of many meetings and exchanges in the cultural, economic, scientific and political fields. In the case of the latter, it is pleasing that after twenty three and a half years an Austrian Chancellor has visited the Netherlands again.
Ten days ago, Sebastian Kurz was here with us in The Hague at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte. During the visit, Federal Chancellor Kurz acknowledged the similar outlooks shared by the Netherlands and Austria by stating that the Netherlands is “the country in the EU with the most identical positions [to Austria]”. Building upon the success of Federal Chancellor Kurz’s visit, there is an 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 twenty six years ago that the then Austrian head of state Thomas Klestil made a state visit to the Netherlands. What we are seeing are 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 are now in Vienna for bilateral talks with their counterparts. Additionally the EU presidency will bring political contacts to Austria, with the current priorities, in accordance with its motto “A Europe that protects”, being: migration, the digitalization of the economy and the EU, and EU enlargement in South Eastern Europe.