By H.E. Mr. Vladimir Tarabrin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Great Patriotic War – as the part of the World War II, spanning from 1941 to 1945, is called in Russia – was not merely a military conflict, but a profound struggle for survival, identity, and the future of the whole world. On June 22, 1941, when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, it opened one of the bloodiest chapters in human history. However, the powerful and heavily-armed war machine of the Wehrmacht came face to face with the enormous force of the Soviet people, united by the will and determination to protect their motherland.
From the very beginning the leadership of Hitler’s Germany made no illusions about the true goals of their “Drang nach Osten” – the enslavement and complete extermination of the people who lived on the territory of the Soviet Union. The resources — both human and material — that were mobilized in the USSR to stop Nazism were immense. About 27 million Soviet people lost their lives on the frontlines, in German captivity, perished of starvation and bombings, in ghettos and Nazi concentration camps. Some researchers even estimate that the total losses of the Soviet Union exceeded 30 million people. To put it in perspective, the USSR lost 1 in 7 of its citizens, while Britain, for example, lost 1 in 127 and the United States lost 1 in 320. That is the reason why we cannot be idle observers to the marches commemorating Nazi collaborators in Baltic states (whom they proudly call patriots) or the standing ovation in honour of the SS 14th Waffen Division veteran in the Canadian parliament.
The Great Patriotic War
Our country certainly remembers and honors the Allies’ contribution to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Without the deliveries of aid under the Lend-Lease program, the battle of El Alamein, the Allied air raids aimed at destroying the industrial centers of the Third Reich, and the landing in Normandy, the victory would be much more difficult.
However, in recent years we have witnessed attempts by a number of countries to minimize the role of the Soviet Union in the WWII. We refuse to tolerate this. It was the heroes of the Red Army that took their last battle in the encirclements of 1941, fought for every house in Sevastopol and Stalingrad, launched tank attacks at Prokhorovka and Kharkov, liberated not only Soviet cities, but also Bucharest, Belgrade, Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna and Prague and finally stormed Berlin.
Beyond those famous battles, the Siege of Leningrad stands out as a harrowing testament to the suffering and endurance of the Soviet people. For nearly 900 days the city was encircled by enemy forces, subjected to relentless shelling and severe food shortages. The resilience of Leningrad’s citizens reflects the indomitable spirit of the Soviet people. More than a million citizens died as a result of what was essentially genocide perpetrated by the Wehrmacht on our soil. We can’t let that fade into oblivion.
H.E. Mr. Vladimir Tarabrin, Ambassador of Russia.
79 years have passed since the end of that terrible war. However, today many European politicians seem to have forgotten what that victory cost us. We see memorials to fallen Soviet soldiers being demolished in many European countries, streets and squares being named in honor of Nazi collaborators and criminals.
Against the background of this dismal trend, measures to preserve the memory of the heroic deeds of Soviet soldiers seem all the more valuable. We appreciate the efforts of those Dutch people who contribute to the work of the Soviet War Cemetery in Leusden (next to the Amersfoort Rusthof cemetery). The remains of 865 war victims from the Soviet Union are buried there, including 101 prisoners from Amersfoort concentration camp. Currently, the work is underway to construct a museum of the Soviet War Cemetery. And next year we hope to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory there.
I would like to say that today the legacy of the Great Patriotic War continues to shape the Russian national identity, reminding our current and future generations of the resilience and sacrifice that ensured the survival of our country as well as the whole Europe. Unfortunately, time passes and we see less and less living veterans of the War. This makes the preservation of the memory of that tragic period of utmost importance. Ignoring the lessons of history inevitably leads to a heavy reckoning. That is why the Russian Federation will firmly uphold the truth based on documented historical facts. And we will vehemently defend an honest and unbiased account of the events of that terrible war.
The two high-ranking politicians were invited to Athens on the occasion of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the New Democracy ruling party with Kyriakos Mitsotakis as president and prime minister.
For understandable reasons and in view of the upcoming negotiation with Lebanon, Nicosia is publicly keeping a fishy silence about what was discussed at the Athens meeting. A government source stated that the discussion moved along two axes: firstly, the plan prepared by the EU to act “very specifically” in supporting Cyprus to stop migration flows and secondly, as to the conclusion regarding the messages that would be conveyed by the Nikos Christodoulidis in the leadership of Lebanon. The latter is considered to be of outstanding political importance as what Beirut heard will not just be positions of Cyprus but positions with which the EU now also agrees. After all, the matter will be transferred to the forthcoming informal Council of the EU.
Equally important, however, if not more important, is the economic dimension. The same source emphasized that the President of the Commission went to Athens extremely prepared with regard to the issue of financial support which could be given in the context of an agreement with the Lebanese officials to comply with the existing agreement to stop the flows. At the same time, there will be such support in the direction of Cyprus, which is finding it difficult to cope in terms of resources and structures for the Syrians who are already on the island.
Nicosia seems completely satisfied with the attitude of the President of the Commission and the fact that the same source emphasized the excellent atmosphere in which the meeting took place is indicative of this. He particularly emphasized Nicosia’s gratitude for the support of Athens and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis personally in this effort, who declared that “Greece and Cyprus are one”.
Ursula von der Leynen, Christodoulidis- Mitsotakis and Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens.
Generous financial package
It is a mostly economic package that is expected to be generous so that Lebanon – which already receives large sums from the EU for stemming the flows – will accept the deal. For weeks, Beirut has appeared to be flouting the existing deal to pressure the EU for more money – it has collected more than €2.5bn in recent years – resulting in flows of refugees and other Syrians living on the ground of Lebanon to reach unprecedented proportions. Cyprus is certainly not in a position to manage them since the accommodation facilities for political asylum seekers have been overcrowded for a long time, and the climate in society is dangerously sharpening again, throwing water to the mill of the extreme and especially the extreme right.
The authorities are now talking about a slow-burning bomb ready to explode
In this climate, the government of Cypriot President Mr. Nikos Christodoulidis is trying on the one hand to put pressure on Lebanon, and on the other hand to convince the European Union to intervene, mainly on an economic level by increasing aid to Lebanon. In case of failure of the consultations, the return of Syrians to Syria itself with boats that will be made available by Cyprus is not excluded, as Lebanon, despite the existing agreement, refuses to accept returns to its territory.
In fact, in one of these attempts, a warship of the Lebanese military prevented the Cypriot authorities from driving back one of the vessels that had attempted to reach the coast of Cyprus. Reports in Cypriot newspapers that in the event that things reach an extreme point Nicosia will declare some areas as emergency zones with all that entails, are considered untrue as Cyprus is not in a position to do so unilaterally.
It was preceded by Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Cyprus a few weeks ago
On March 7, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Cyprus and met the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis. The two politicians traveled from Bucharest where they attended the European People’s Party Summit. In the evening the President of the Republic of Cyprus hosted a dinner in honor of the President of the Commission at the Presidential Palace. According to the sources of the presidency, among the topics that concerned them at the dinner were the maritime corridor for the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza and their planned visit to the port of Larnaca, the current situation in Cyprus and immigration.
Ursula von der Leyen is proud of Nikos Christodoulidis
Ursula von der Leyen expressed her pride for the leaders who belong to or are close to the European People’s Party, including President Christodoulides, referring to the initiative for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, in her speech before the plenary session of the EPP conference, on which was expected to confirm her candidacy for a second term in the Presidency of the Commission on behalf of the European centre-right.
Mrs von der Leyen referred successively to the achievements of a series of leaders from the EPP to demonstrate that “this is the leadership of the EPP”, as a “party of the people” which “brings results to the issues that concern the world”. In particular, the President of the Commission said that she is proud of Mr. Christodoulidis “for his leading role in increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and for bringing economic development to Cyprus”. As Mrs. Von der Leyen pointed out, she is proud, among others, of Donald Tusk “for bringing back the rule of law in Poland”, for Kyriakos Mitsotakis “for bringing Greece back to the path of success”, and Andrej Plenkovic for Croatia’s entry into the Eurozone and the Schengen area.
Also, she said she was proud of, among others, Karl Nehammer for dealing with irregular immigration in Austria, Peteri Orpo for Finland’s entry into NATO, as well as Roberta Metzola for her capable leadership in the European Parliament. In her speech, Ms. Von der Leyen spoke at length about the values of the EU, noting that the EPP promoted the European vision from the beginning. Referring to conditions internationally, he spoke of a dangerous world, where an “alliance of dictators” is on the rise, and where Russia continues its effort to eliminate Ukraine in a war that remains more intense than ever, and also referred to the war in Gaza, the destabilization of the Middle East, and the distortion of international competitiveness by China and others, while inside the EU “Putin’s friends” try to rewrite history and spread hatred.
Mrs. von der Leyen spoke of challenges from the extreme right and the extreme left and added that the EPP will stand for a strong and secure, peaceful and prosperous Europe. He referred to the successive crises of the pandemic, the threat of economic recession and climate change and how unity has helped the EU move forward.
Immigration in the countries of the European Union
In relation to immigration, he said that the EU had achieved results by strengthening Europe’s borders, and added that the EU would continue to respect its international obligations in relation to human rights, but that Europeans would decide who comes to Europe and who does not. the organized networks of traffickers. As he said, he understands why citizens are worried about the future, but he emphasized that after successive crises the EU managed to cope, noting that the common market is Europe’s safe harbor. In this context, he referred to the need to strengthen competitiveness and the transformation of the European Green Deal into an economic, social and industrial agreement.
Specifically on energy, he noted that the EU has resisted Putin’s energy blackmail, now producing more energy from renewable sources than from gas. He emphasized that “unlike others, we support pragmatic solutions, not ideological ones”, since, as he underlined, “there is no competitive economy without climate protection and there is no climate protection without a competitive economy”. Competitiveness, he continued, goes through the reduction of bureaucracy but also increased attention for small and medium-sized enterprises in the EU.
Referring to agricultural policy, she noted the challenges faced by farmers as prices are rising and volatile. “A young man told me that sometimes they are forced to sell their products at prices below the cost of production,” he added, noting that this is unacceptable. In relation to Ukraine, he reiterated that this is the most urgent security issue and referred to the war crimes in Bucha, the abduction of children and the death of Navalny, stressing that Putin will be brought to justice and that a court awaits him in The Hague. He stressed that Russia is destroying infrastructure, but not destroying the dream of a free and prosperous Ukraine within the EU, which also lives in Georgia, Moldova and the Western Balkans.
Thursday, 11 April 2024, Munich, Free State of Bavaria: The Technical University of Munich (TUM) hosted a symposium on the topic “New stages of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany in the fields of education, science and industry”.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan and the University of “New Uzbekistan” in cooperation with “TUM International GmbH” of the Technical University of Munich.
The symposium was attended by the Ministry of Energy from Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan Airways, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine, Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combine and renowned industrial companies from Germany such as Siemens AG, Knorr-Bremse, Airbus, Deloitte, IT4IPM and Linde as well as leading scientists and experts in the field education, science and innovation from universities in both countries partook.
The Uzbek delegation of was led by the Minister of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan Hilola Umarova who also took part in the event.
The main goal of the symposium is to present the results and achievements of the New University of Uzbekistan, founded in June 2021 by decree of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to become acquainted with the results of successful cooperation between the universities of our country and the Technical University of Munich and to identify new promising innovations in the field of education and science.
Hilola Umarova, Minister of Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan.
The conference was opened by the Honorary President of TUM, Prof. Wolfgang A. Hermann, the Minister for Preschool and School Education of Uzbekistan Hilola Umarova and the Managing Director of “TUM International GmbH” Friederike Hettinger. The speakers spoke about the role of education in shaping modern society, about the prospects for innovation and development in the field of education, about the experience of introducing modern methods and technologies in the educational process, as well as about the tasks and prospects of mutual cooperation.
It was noted that the University “New Uzbekistan” is becoming a living example of reforms in education aimed at modern standards and innovations. The prospects for expanding cooperation between the universities of the two countries were also discussed, in particular the establishment of effective connections with scientific institutions and industrial companies in Bavaria.
As part of the event, lectures were given by leading scientists and specialists from both universities. Particular attention was paid to trends in science, education and production, promising projects, exchange of experiences, expansion of cooperation and establishment of new contacts.
Vice Rector for Academic Work of the University “New Uzbekistan” Bahadir Akhmedov provided detailed information about the extensive reforms in the education system using the example of the university.
The Uzbek-German symposium has developed into an important platform for intellectual exchange and the development of innovative ideas in science, education and business.
The Embassy of India in The Hague recently organized an interesting tourism promotion event titled ‘CHALO INDIA’ on March 21, 2024, at Hotel Van der Valk in Wassenaar. This event projected India as an attractive tourist destination by showcasing different aspects of Indian culture and history like yoga, spirituality, culinary delights, aligning with the vision set forth by the Hon’ble Prime Minister for the advancement of Indian tourism.
The event, held in a hybrid format, facilitated the participation of speakers and resource persons from India, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of India’s tourism potential. Among the distinguished attendees were approximately 25 persons, including 20 tour operators operating within the Netherlands who actively promote India as a premier tourist destination to their clientele. Her Excellency Mrs. Reenat Sandhu, the Ambassador of India to the Netherlands, inaugurated the proceedings with her opening remarks, extending a warm welcome to all participants. In her address, she emphasized the important role of the Indian diaspora, comprising over 32 million individuals worldwide, in championing Indian tourism as cultural ambassadors.
Ms. Sudeshna Mukherjee, India Marketing Officer, addressing the participants.
Despite India’s status as home to some of the world’s most fascinating destinations, it currently captures only a fraction of global tourist spending, a fact that underscores the imperative for concerted efforts to unlock its full tourism potential. Ambassador Sandhu shed light on the ‘Chalo India’ campaign, spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi, which aims to galvanize public participation in promoting tourism, with a special emphasis on engaging the Indian diaspora. She delineated India’s robust tourism strategy, underscored by infrastructure development initiatives and a commitment to enhancing quality standards, while showcasing the nation’s wealth of UNESCO World Heritage sites and diverse tourism offerings.
Attendes to India tourisme promotional event.
During the event, officials from the Embassy of India provided valuable insights into various types of tourist visas, OCI services, and group tourism facilitations, elucidating the ease of travel to India for prospective visitors. A highlight of the event was an exclusive presentation by Ms. Jyoti Mayal, President of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), who delved into India’s economic outlook, air connectivity between India and the Netherlands, and the burgeoning trend of hosting destination weddings in India.
Ms. Mayal underscored the vast opportunities for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and spiritual tourism in India, painting a compelling picture for potential investors and travelers alike. Following Ms. Mayal’s presentation, Mr. Aniruddh Gupta, Assistant Manager – Tourism at Invest India, provided a succinct overview of investment opportunities in India’s burgeoning tourism sector. Mr. Gupta elucidated a comprehensive 25-year roadmap for India’s economic growth, positioning India as a formidable economic powerhouse by the year 2047. His insights, coupled with an interactive Q&A session, facilitated a dynamic exchange of ideas among participants.
Indian Ambassador greeting the participants.
The event culminated in a stimulating roundtable discussion, characterized by constructive feedback and brainstorming sessions, wherein participants proffered invaluable suggestions on enhancing India’s positioning as a prominent tourist destination.
The day drew to a close with a networking session, offering attendees a platform to engage with seasoned professionals from the tourism industry and fostering meaningful connections. Participants were encouraged to share their feedback and suggestions via email, further enriching the discourse on India’s tourism potential.
The city of The Hague was also hit hard in the Second World War. Each district has its own history; every resident has his or her own stories. To get to know these stories and each other better, Huis voor de Stad is once again organizing a city-wide commemoration of the dead this year.
On Saturday, May 4, everyone is welcome at ‘The Hague Commemorated’ in the Grote Kerk.
Reflecting on precious freedom
Wietske Verkuyl, program manager Huis voor de Stad: “In 2021, together with various organizations in The Hague, we decided to revive an old tradition: an annual commemoration meeting in the Grote Kerk, where we talk to each other, share stories and experiences, commemorate war victims and reflect on the preciousness of freedom. Every year since then, the responses and increasing visitor numbers show how important it is to come together during this period. And relevant, unfortunately, given the current war situation in various places around the world. We hope to offer visitors comfort and connection on this day.”
Talking about exclusion
Prior to the commemoration meeting, Dialoog in The Hague is organizing a dialogue around the theme ‘Creeping exclusion’ from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The Second World War was characterized by premeditated large-scale, gradual and systematic exclusion of population groups, motivated by ideology and racism. During the dialogue, attendees engage in small group discussions, sharing stories and experiences around the theme.
Young people make short films and works of art
Wendy Meijer, initiator of Dialoog in The Hague: “We think it is important that we pay attention to the systematic exclusion of groups, then and now. Unfortunately, exclusion is still the order of the day. By talking to each other and sharing experiences, we learn from the past and become stronger in the present. In March, in preparation for May 4, a dialogue meeting was organized with twenty-two students from Segbroek College, who entered into discussions with elderly people who experienced the war themselves or who experienced the consequences of the war up close.
Based on these dialogues, a short film was made and the young people presented works of art around the theme. Both the short film and the works of art can be seen during the May 4 commemoration in the Grote Kerk.” Global program The Hague Commemorates in the Grote Kerk: Word of welcome by mayor Jan van Zanen; Music by the Ural Cossack Choir and the Ukrainian Orchestra Uzory; Inspiring interview with Hanneke Gelderblom; Lecture by John Dunkelgrün, author of the book ‘Where should I go’; Recitation of poem by a student from the Sorghvliet Gynnasium; Musical recitation on piano by a student from Segbroek College; Connecting peace ritual.
The Hague Commemoration program starts at 6:00 PM and lasts until 7:00 PM. The doors open at 5:30 PM. After the memorial meeting, all visitors are invited for a joint walk to Carnegie Square, where the wreath-laying ceremony and two minutes of silence will take place.
The Hague Commemoration is a joint initiative of the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk Foundation, Dialogue in The Hague, the Segbroek College, the Sorghvliet Gymnasium, the Prinsjesdag Celebration Foundation, the Protestant Church in The Hague, the Hague Community of Churches, The Hague Connecting Initiatives and Kleurrijk Segbroek and the National Remembrance Foundation The Hague.
The African continent is showing strong economic growth. But where is the ‘Made in Africa’ label? The sixth edition of NABC ‘s conference Africa Works! is about Africa’s green industrialization.
Africa Works! was first organized in 2012 by the Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC) and has since grown into the largest Africa-focused business conference in the Benelux, with between 250 and 400 participants per day in recent years. Africa Works! is therefore the place for the Netherlands and Africa to meet. Business delegations are expected from Angola, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Angola and Sierra Leone, among others.
“Africa’s Green Industrialization (Made in Africa) is the theme we have chosen for this edition,” says Núria Vlonk-Cunha Soares, deputy Managing Director of NABC and project leader of Africa Works! “When Africa wants to take the next step in its development then more products must be manufactured locally.”
The main theme of Africa’s green industrialization includes three sub-themes: circular food production, renewable energy and sustainable agrologistics. The focus is on green solutions that aim to decouple economic growth from damage to the environment.
Africa Works! takes place on April 23 at the KIT (Royal Tropical Institute) in Amsterdam. During the conference we listen to inspiring keynote speeches and participants can attend workshops, an investor session (dragons den style) and country sessions (including opportunities in Angola, Ethiopia and Nigeria). In addition, there will be a roundtable discussion on financing Africa’s green industrialization.
During the opening session we will hear from a number of Keyonte speakers who are coming to Amsterdam for the conference. These include Kazeem Olanrewaju, CEO of the (Microcredit) bank Alert Group in Nigeria and Simon Davis, who set up a company that has developed electric trucks for the African market.
We also hear from Amany Asfour, president of the Africa Business Council, Lara van Druten, the CEO of Waste Transformers (who has made a system for converting waste into energy commercially deployable) and from the Dutchman Thijs Boer, who as a student went to Rwanda for research into potatoes and now runs a chips factory with 60 employees in the East African country.
By H.E. Ms. Elizabeth Ward Neiman, Ambassador of Panama to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
As Ambassador of Panama to the Kingdom of The Netherlands, establishing mutually benefitting relations between Dutch universities and their Panamanian counterparts was one of my objectives within the bilateral agenda. The purpose of this was to initiate academic collaboration ranging from the exchange of teaching methodology, knowledge, professors, students, amongst other opportunities.
Although it sounds like a simple task, there were many challenges along the way! First of all, identifying and achieving contact with the correct person within the selected Dutch universities. Secondly, prompting their interest to consider the collaboration. Thirdly, connecting the appropriate counterpart in Panama. Following this, the Embassy coordinated and participated in the subsequent virtual meetings until a well-defined and agreed project was reached. This was, and is, followed by periodic contact to provide support between the actors if and when necessary.
During the COVID pandemic, a limiting factor to tend patients was the availability of the respirators. Collaboration between Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Universidad Especializada de las Américas (UDELAS) was achieved to create a COVID respirator which would serve as an international prototype. One of the four produced was sent to Panama for UDELAS to continue with the process seeking medical approval and patenting.
True momentum started with a friend in Panama sharing the contact information of a Dutch who is well connected in both the logistics and the academic sectors. With his assistance, a virtual round table with 5 Dutch universities and 5 Panamanian universities and training centers was coordinated. This took months of preparation in addition to personally visiting each Dutch university as well as numerous conversations with the Panamanian counterparts. The effort paid off since it resulted in a successful round table with a focus in logistics. However, it would take many more months of following up before any concrete results were produced.
The first agreement signed was between the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS) and the Universidad de Santa María la Antigua (USMA). Although the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has not been implemented as expansively as expected, it’s a matter of time before it is. The agreement between Fontys University of Applied Sciences and the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP) followed with the assistance of the Dutch Embassy in Panama.
Other mutually benefitting MoU´s in the final stages of coordination are between Panama´s Science, Technology and Innovation Institute (SENACYT) and University of Groningen, University of Leiden, and Wageningen University. Also in process are two others between UTP and University of Groningen and University of Leiden.
Although more complex and requiring much more time, conversations with the directors of the School at Sea program have been ongoing with the vision of implementing a similar program for students from Panama to the Netherlands.
Beyond the MoU´s that are already signed and those that are in the review process in respective legal departments, there are many success stories that are worth mentioning!
To list a few:
Mats Ruwe, a student from Wageningen University (WUR) did his master´s thesis project with Riba Smith Supermarket chain, a large family-owned business that produces, processes, packages, distributes, and exports products. The project, “The decision making-dynamics of a perishable CPG-nanostore supply chain” consisted in optimizing the supply chain logistics of direct distribution to convenience stores around Panama in order to minimize stockouts, minimize waste and increase sales. Months of work was done in The Netherlands before his departure to Panama for two weeks on site.
Rosanne Bartholomeus, from Utrecht University, did her master´s thesis with Reef2Reef Foundation living in Portobelo, Colón for 6 months while researching the degradation of coral reefs and applying restorative interventions to enhance resilience against local and global stressors. Her comprehensive research was shared with the foundation and has been essential to their ongoing restoration efforts. In addition, because of her work in Panama, Rosanne was selected to be a youth speaker at the Our Ocean Conference held in Panama in 2023.
Raf Verdaasdonk and Valentijn Elsman from WUR followed Rosanne´s footsteps with Reef2Reef doing their master´s research thesis with coral reefs as well. Their focus was in two areas respectively: 1. the predation by fireworms and slugs and the negative effect it has on coral planting projects and 2. the planting techniques in a natural environment that allow us to increase survival.
An internship for Tessa de Wilde, from Saxion University, with Electron Investment S.A. (EISA), in the hydroelectric sector was agreed at the end of March. Tessa will be traveling to Panama in July 2024 to initiate her work in civil engineering while focusing on the sustainability of the natural reservoir.
At Saxion University, in conjunction with Instituto de Innovación Agropecuario (IDIAP), a class project just concluded. The study utilized data provided by IDIAP to explore ways to increase drought and flood resiliency in the La Villa River in Panama from a Dutch perspective. Upon culmination of the project, Nout Lindenschot and Daan Smits, two of the four students who worked on it, delivered the results to IDIAP and to the Embassy during a personal presentation of the suggested recommendations. Further collaborative activities are already being discussed to since both actors have benefitted greatly.
Between INDICASAT and University of Groningen (RUG), joint research is being conducted on a new medication for the treatment of patients with tuberculosis. These findings will change the course of tuberculosis treatment globally.
Just recently, WUR initiated two class projects with challenges presented by MiAmbiente (the Panama Ministry of Environment) that focus on finding nature based sustainable solutions for the consequences of the predicted sea-level rise in regions in Panama. The data to be used is provided from previous research.
With Leiden University, there are many ongoing projects within the archeology department. Categorizing, documenting and packaging the 343 pieces of cultural heritage repatriated to Panama was done in conjunction with a specialized packaging company and students. Numerous archeological explorations to the indigenous part of the Darien jungle, guided by Natalia Donner, a lecturer at Leiden University, have been done with Leiden´s graduate students. Two Panamanian students are currently doing their doctorate work in archeology at Leiden.
Although the Embassy will continue seeking new opportunities, based on the proven success of mutual benefits, the road has been paved to further expand collaboration.
With each new cooperative effort, we improve the process making it smoother, especially for the travelling students. Prior to the Dutch students´ departure to Panama, we invite them to the Embassy, and brief them on topics such as Panama´s culture, gastronomy, public transportation, attire, places to visit, visa issues, amongst others. A brochure has been elaborated that contains summarized vital information which we update based of students´ feedback when they return. For those students coming from Panama to the Netherlands we designed a brochure with information that would be helpful prior to their arrival; this we shared with the Dutch Embassy in Panama since that would be a point of contact prior to their journey to The Netherlands.
In a globalized world, it is through the exchange of information and related experiences that we can learn from each other and advance more efficiently for the benefit of all.
In a resolute stance, the Argentine government has reiterated its unwavering support for Israel while expressing deep concern over security challenges in the Triple Border region.
This affirmation comes in the wake of a high-level meeting chaired by President Javier Milei, with the presence of the Israeli Ambassador to Argentina, H.E. Mr. Eyal Sela. The meeting, convened urgently amidst escalating tensions, saw the Chief of Cabinet, Nicolás Posse, presenting a confidential document prepared by the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI). Ambassador Sela provided crucial insights into recent Iranian attacks, shedding light on their modus operandi.
President Milei, who cut short his international tour and decided to suspend his visit to Denmark to address the pressing issues at hand, promptly called for an emergency session of his cabinet. The meeting, lasting just under an hour and a half, delved into sensitive areas such as Defense and Intelligence, with special reports presented by Nicolás Posse.
In response to the heightened security threats, the Argentine government has taken proactive measures, raising the alert level in various parts of the country, particularly in the Triple Border region. The move underscores the administration’s commitment to safeguarding national security and fostering robust international partnerships, particularly with allies like Israel.
He was warmly welcomed by a church packed with members of the country’s Christian minority on his first mass in Baghdad
By Willy Fautré, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers
HRWF (15.04.2024) – On Wednesday 10 April, Cardinal Sako returned to Baghdad after a nine-month self-imposed exile in the Kurdistan Region. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani issued the order for his return, marking a crucial step towards reconciliation and religious unity in the country.
Clergy members from Baghdad and Patriarchate staff were also present.On 11 April, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani officially welcomed Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako referring to him as “leader of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the world” and pledged to address issues concerning the Christian community and other minority groups within Iraq.In response, Patriarch Sako conveyed Eid Al-Fitr greetings to the prime minister and emphasized the government’s ongoing responsibility to improve living conditions and safeguard the rights of all Iraqis, including minorities.
The new decision in 2023 withdrew widespread condemnations from Christians in Iraq and abroad, fearing the revocation could be part of a long-standing campaign against the dwindling community.
About the departure of Cardinal Sako
Sako’s departure from Baghdad in 2023 stemmed from the decree issued by President Abdul Latif Rashid revoking a 2013 decision by then-President Jalal Talabani. The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq upheld Rashid’s decision in November 2023, citing ‘constitutional’ concerns. The Chaldean Patriarchate expressed bewilderment, asserting that the withdrawal lacked a legal basis. Observers noted that the presidential decree potentially allowed the Babylon Movement, the political arm of a Christian militia under US sanctions, to gain more control over the community’s institutions in Iraq.
It followed a public spat between the leader of the Babylon Movement, Rayan Al-Kildani, and Cardinal Sako, each of whom accusing the other of political control over the Christian community. Last year, Cardinal Sako listed conditions for any return to Baghdad, including President Rashid formally recognising him as leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church and holder of its property. In a further display of protest, the Chaldean Patriarchate canceled Easter celebrations on March 25, standing in solidarity with Cardinal Sako.
The decrease of the Christian community
The Christian community in Iraq has dwindled significantly in recent years, largely due to ongoing conflict, persecution, and economic challenges. This trend has raised concerns about the future presence and influence of Christianity in a region where it has historical roots dating back nearly two thousand years. The community in Iraq, which numbered around 1.5 million before 2003, has significantly decreased to an estimated 250,000 by recent reports up to 2023. The population of Iraq is more than 40 million.
On the 7th of April 2024, Rwanda commemorated, for the 30th time, the Genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi “Kwibuka30” (meaning to remember). The 1994 genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi was devastating. One million killed in a hundred days from a population of 7.5 million; the economy was destroyed and infrastructures were in shambles. Unlike the Holocaust, the genocide against the Tutsi was not committed by the military or paramilitary apparatus only, it was mainly committed by civilians, neighbours, friends and even family members, killing all Tutsi, from the baby in the cradle to the sicks and bedridden old people. For many observers, the country was gone forever and could not recover.
Failure of the international community
The responsibility of the international community was well established by historians. Some countries supported the genocidal government in 1994, others chose to look the other way and even some, especially permanent members of the UN Security Council, refused to act in the face of evil. The Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations is also to blame, as it rejected multiple alarms, before the genocide, by the UN Force commander on the ground.
However, the UN and most of those countries acknowledged their responsibility and presented their apologies to the Rwandan people. For our part, we chose to move on and establish good relations with those countries, based on the established historical facts, for the interest of our respective peoples.
Rebuilding a nation
However, the Government of National Unity, led by the RPF-Inkotanyi that stopped the genocide on 4th July 1994 put in place many reforms that led to significant achievements over the past thirty years, mainly an unexpected unity and reconciliation and an ambitious socio-economic transformation.
Under the visionary leadership of H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the government and the people of Rwanda carried out reforms in four critical sectors:
Unity and reconciliation
“Rwandan chose to stay united”, as proclaimed by President Kagame. The priority after the genocide was justice for the victims. However, this turned out to be a daunting task, given the huge number of victims and perpetrators, not to mention the millions of refugees, who included judges, lawyers, prosecutors and court clerks. In this context, the Government didn’t want punitive justice and opted for restorative justice, to achieve reconciliation.
This is why we put in place the traditional justice system “Gacaca”, which put forward light sentences, community works and forgiveness in exchange of truth and confession by the perpetrators. The Gacaca jurisdictions, which were in force since 2001 to 2012, turned out to be successful with more than two million adjudications.
Socio-economic transformation
After the genocide, Rwanda chose to do more than simple recovery and reconstruction. The government decided to embark in an unprecedented, ambitious and pragmatic journey for transformation. With many reforms carried out, Rwanda became, in most international rankings and economic publications, a reference point for socio-economic transformation and good governance, being regularly ranked in the top three countries in Africa.
Rwanda has now moved from Vision 2020 to Vision 2050. In 2000, the government adopted Vision 2020, which is an economic blueprint with targeted goals for the year 2020. This was a rapid economic growth to achieve middle income status ($1,240 GDP per capita) and increased poverty reduction (poverty reduced to 20%, extreme poverty eliminated). In this regard, GDP per capita increased from $220 in 2000 to over $1,000 in 2023, and Rwanda was the sixth fastest growing economy in Africa (7.5% p.a. since 2007).
From Vision 2020, Rwanda adopted Vision 2050, to ensure high standards of living for all Rwandans, especially to become an upper middle-income country ($4,035 GDP per capita) by 2035 and a high income country ($12,476) by 2050.
Good governance
Following three decades of ethnic and regional discrimination, which led the country to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the leadership of Rwanda put in place an inclusive governance and put an end to any form of discrimination. In 2013, Rwanda became the first country in the world with the highest rate of women in parliament (currently at 61%), which also includes seats reserved for the youth and the disabled. Significant reforms were also introduced to empower women (i.e. a constitutional 30% of positions in decision-making organs, succession rights) and to fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The economic success of Rwanda was largely enabled by an efficient use of taxpayers and donors’ money, as well as a resolute fight against corruption. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Transparency International regularly ranks Rwanda as the first least corrupt country in the East African Community and the fourth in Africa (behind Seychelles, Cabo Verde and Botswana).
H.E. Mr. Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Ambassador of Rwanda
Far-reaching diplomacy
Since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the diplomacy of the new government was ambitious and far-reaching, especially in six areas: 1) extension of bilateral relations (expansion of diplomatic relations worldwide); 2) African and regional integration (active role in the institutional and financial reform of the African Union, as well as regional economic communities); 3) active multilateral engagement (active role in UN negotiations on climate change and digital transformation, adhesion to the Commonwealth and hosting its summit in 2022, as well as current leadership of the Francophonie); 4) peacekeeping interventions (Rwanda became the 4th troops contributing country in UN peacekeeping missions, as well as bilateral contributor of troops in Central African Republic and Mozambique); 5) economic diplomacy (including partnership with popular football teams in Europe to promote tourism in Rwanda); and 6) people-centered diplomacy (mobilization of the Rwandan community abroad, partnership with the AU and UNHCR to receive refugees stranded in Libya, policy of visa on arrival for all citizens of the world except members of the AU, Francophonie and Commonwealth who are exempted for visa etc.)
Cooperation between Rwanda and the Dutch government and private sector
Cooperation between Rwanda and the Netherlands was successful over the past thirty (30) years. In the aftermath of the genocide, the Dutch government made a substantial contribution to the humanitarian relief, and urged other countries to honour their pledges, put aside mistrust and support the Rwandan Government.
The two countries cooperated mainly in the judicial sector, agriculture, water management, trade. In particular, the Netherlands has been a longstanding partner of Rwanda’s Justice, Reconciliation and Order Sector Institutions, providing a significant support towards the restoration and strengthening of the justice sector. More than 19 courtrooms were constructed and provided with modern equipment. At the same time, a big number of judges and prosecutors were trained in different legal matters. Moreover, the Dutch government supported Rwanda in the investigation, prosecution and/or extradition of genocide fugitives who had fled to the Netherlands.
As the Government of Rwanda strives for self-reliance, both countries decided to transition from aid to trade from 2018 to 2022. Now, the formal cooperation is minimal and the Multi-Annual Country Strategy 2023-2026 by the Dutch Government enounced two priorities, which are (1) international legal order, human rights and host national policy, as well as (2) sustainable trade and investment.
In this regard, it’s worth noting that in 2022, Rwanda’s total exports to the Netherlands were valued at around US$15 million consisting mainly of horticultural products, fresh roses and minerals. This amount has tripled over the past six (6) years, as it was only around US$ 5 million in 2018. Moreover, Rwanda, which is a touristic country, receives more and more tourists from the Netherlands, which is ranked 4th in the European Union (after France, Germany and Belgium).
Kwibuka 30
Commemoration and lessons learned from genocide
On 23rd December 2003, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/58/234, confirmed on 20th April 2020, establishing the date of 7 April as the “International Day on Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda”. The resolution further “[urged] Member States to develop educational programmes that will inculcate in future generations the lessons of the genocide in order to help to prevent future acts of genocide”.
Before and after this resolution, Rwanda developed a four-way strategy to preserve the memory of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi: 1) annual commemorations on 7th April and during the hundred days of remembrance, until the 3rd July; 2) establishment of genocide memorials, in Rwanda and abroad, including four that were inscribed last year in the UNESCO World Heritage; 3) education about genocide in schools in Rwanda and abroad, as well as a 4) laws criminalizing genocide denial, which was also enacted in France and in Rwanda.
This 30th commemoration of the genocide is an important milestone. We should note that today two Rwandans out of three were born after the genocide. This anniversary is therefore a generational turning point. While the work of healing and justice should continue, we have now a bigger responsibility of preservation of the memory and education, not only for the Rwandan young generation, but also for the world. As we speak, in this 21st century, people, in our region and beyond, are under threat of extermination.
Given our tragic experience, it’s unfortunate that the community of nations didn’t learn enough lessons about genocide but I still hope that humanity and responsibility will eventually prevail.
Fighting genocide denial
The UN resolution I was mentioning condemned “without reservation any denial of the genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda as a historical event in full or in part, as established by the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2006, rejects any denial of the genocide”.
This scourge of genocide denial was spread in the world by genocide fugitives, through their families, communities and friends, including so-called scholars. This 30th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsi provides an opportunity for the world to reflect on the lessons of the Genocide and the battle to preserve the integrity of the historical accounts of it. Indeed, there has been a concerted effort to minimize or deny the Genocide, using various tactics, ranging from questioning the numbers of victims, blaming the victims for causing the Genocide, and even suggesting that a double genocide took place.
These tactics are not new, as they have been deployed by perpetrators and deniers of other genocides since the Holocaust. But if we are not careful, this distortion of historical facts – supercharged by social media and AI tools now in the hands of deniers – could be deployed across the world, turning true history into contested debate.
Rwanda’s history has shaped Rwandan shared identity – this is why the historical clarity about the Genocide against the Tutsi is of national and international importance.
