The Permanent Court of Arbitration @ 125

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The Permanent Court of Arbitration @ 125

Its Contributions to International Law and Diplomacy 

By H.E. Mr. J. Eduardo Malaya

Eminent international law personalities from 122 countries will converge on June 12 at the Peace Palace in The Hague for a rare Congress of the Members of the Court of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). This gathering of individuals representing the Contracting Parties to the 1899 and 1907 Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes will assess the past and current workings of the organization and chart out its future. The significance of the Congress, which has the theme “Court fit for its Time: Continuing the Evolution of the Permanent Court of Arbitration towards the fulfilment of its Promise,” is underpinned by its being only the third time in the organization’s 125-year history that such a meeting will take place.

The prominence of The Hague as City of Peace and Justice – or as referred to by UN Secretary General Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali, the “legal capital of the world” – derives from having the Peace Palace, a seven-hectare compound with a beautiful Neo-Renaissance building which hosts three of the world’s most cherished international law institutions – the PCA, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the century-old Hague Academy of International Law.

The PCA’s contributions to the peaceful settlement of disputes and the development of international law are fairly well known. Since its establishment in 1899, the PCA has institutionalized the practice of arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states, and made them more accessible. The awards and decisions rendered by its various tribunals and commissions, including the landmark 1928 case Island of Las Palmas, has significantly enriched international law.

Origins of Multilateralism

Less known but equally significant is the PCA’s contributions to diplomacy as we know it today. The first International Peace Conference held in The Hague in 1899 that gave birth to the PCA also planted the seeds that later germinated into the League of Nations and the Permanent Court of International Justice and their successors, the UN and its judicial organ, the ICJ.

As Prof Harold Hongju Koh noted at a forum in June 2023, the 1899 Hague Conference was innovative in many ways. “It was the first official peace conference that did not occur in the aftermath of a major war. It was the beginning of the modern form of international conference like the League of Nations and the United Nations. Second, it was the first major conference that represented a wide range of the world’s nation states, from the West, the East and the Americas, each given a single equal vote. So, whereas not exclusively limited to Western powers, it was not just a great power exercise, it was a global gathering, a precursor to today’s General Assembly…”

The conference established the PCA, a pioneer of the modern forms of international dispute resolution, and saw the birth of modern multilateralism, the organizing principle of the UN and similar bodies.  

A Court fit for the times

In operations for the last 125 years, the PCA has developed into a modern, multi-faceted arbitral institution perfectly situated to meet the evolving dispute resolution needs of the international community. It has a three-part organizational structure consisting of an Administrative Council composed of representatives of its 122 Contracting Parties that oversees its policies and budgets, a panel of independent potential arbitrators known as the Members of the Court, and the Secretariat, known as the International Bureau, headed by the Secretary-General.

After prolonged periods of inactivity, the PCA had a revival in the late eighties and has since evolved into a modern international dispute settlement institution with one of the heaviest caseloads of all international courts, supporting in 2023 alone a record 218 registry cases and handling 50 requests relating to its appointing authority functions.

The PCA has also assisted the UN in peacemaking and resolving conflicts through its mechanisms, such as the Eritrea/Yemen dispute and the Abyei Arbitration. With its services forming a fundamental aspect of the rule of law, the PCA has helped promote the UN’s three pillars of peace and security, human rights and development, and assist in achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

With the ICJ focused on judicial settlement of disputes, PCA offers enquiry, mediation, conciliation and arbitration, thus together they cover all the means for the peaceful settlement of disputes recommended in Article 33 of the UN Charter. In view of this, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2004 described the PCA and ICJ as “complementary institutions offering the international community a comprehensive range of options for the pacific settlement of international disputes.”

Mr. Jose Eduardo Malaya

Governance reforms

The PCA’s procedural rules have been updated and modernized, and its areas of competence expanded into new areas of dispute resolution, notably the adoption of procedural rules for arbitration and conciliation of disputes regarding natural resources and the environment, and the outer space. Its role has been enhanced in administering arbitration under Annex VII of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, serving as registry for almost all of the UNCLOS arbitrations conducted pursuant to said Annex, and the only compulsory conciliation conducted pursuant to Annex V.

To make its services more accessible in different regions of the world, the PCA now has offices in Buenos Aires, Hanoi, Mauritius, Singapore and Vienna.

Reforms have improved its organizational governance, with the conduct in 2021 of the first-ever competitive election for the position of Secretary General, currently held by Dr. Marcin Czepelak, the first non-Dutch in said office. The position of acting President of the Administration Council was created in 2019, and it is now rotated among the regional groups every two years. 

Towards a meaningful 125th anniversary

It has been a distinct honor for me to have been elected in late 2022 as Acting President of the Administrative Council for term 2023-2024. To highlight the contributions of the PCA to international peace and security, I initiated and worked with Secretary General Czepelac and colleagues at the Philippine Mission to the UN in New York and a Core Group of link-minded missions on the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution for the anniversary.

The UN reinforced its bonds with the PCA when on August 1, 2023, the General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/77/322 welcoming the anniversary and commending the PCA for its significant contributions to world peace and justice. “Recognizing the important contribution of the PCA to the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the General Assembly “encourages Member States to make use of the PCA’s services, consistent with international law, in arbitration, conciliation, mediation, commission of inquiry, and other peaceful means of dispute resolution and to support (its) activities…”

The UNGA resolution is significant for at least three reasons. It was adopted by consensus, with 120 co-sponsors, which is a remarkable majority at a time when the assembly is often polarized. It is only the second resolution ever from the UNGA on the PCA, the first one in 1993 when the latter was invited to participate in its proceedings as an observer. The call for accession is also timely as only 122 of the 193 UN Member States are PCA Contracting Parties, and thus 71 are yet to be part of it. 

To lend a festive air to the upcoming anniversary and upon the invitation of the Embassy of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines Concert Chorus (UPCC) will visit The Hague and perform at the Diligentia Theater on June 6, a few days before the Congress. The country’s premier and multi-awarded university-based choir, the UPCC has gained acclaim in bridging musical genres such as classical, folk, pop and Broadway with their signature “choreocapella” (choreographed a capella singing) and will highlight songs of peace, among others.

In an era where international peace and security are facing serious challenges, the PCA’s services take on even greater significance. To the surprise of perhaps its founders 125 years ago, the PCA has endured, adapted and thrived, akin to a wise person who regained youthful strides.

About the author:

Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya

Mr. Jose Eduardo Malaya, is the Acting President of the PCA Administrative Council for term 2023-2024, a Member of the Court of the PCA, and the Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Life at the ‘Hanging Spring Pavilion’

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Life at the ‘Hanging Spring Pavilion’

By Prof. Richard T. Griffiths

Dunhuang is an oasis town at the edge of the edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Its waters have welcomed travellers over the centuries. I was privileged to be there in 2017. Nearby are the Mogao caves, with their Buddhist images and decoration.

They are also famous for the thousands of documents discovered there, and stolen/saved by the Western archaeologists, which shed new light on the culture, beliefs, and daily life between 1500 and 1000 years ago.

In September 1987 a maintenance crew, working on a road some 64 kms east of Dunhuang, stumbled across an area of grey coloured sand indicating the existence of some ancient building.

The chief archaeologist went in person to investigate. It cost him a whole day simply to locate the site, but on the second he and his team found some pottery and some silk that allowing them to place the site in the Western Han Dynasty (202BCE-220CE). What they had discovered was one of the 80 postal stations between Chang’an (the capital of Han dynasty China) and Dunhuang, one almost every 20 kilometers.

It was important discovery – no more, no less. However, when two years later, evidence emerged that the site was becoming prey to looters, the authorities authorised an emergency rescue excavation. The excavations lasted until 1992 and it took another three years to register all the finds.

Archive photograph of the Excavations

A total of more than 70,000 pieces of various cultural relics were unearthed, including 30,000 pieces of pottery, 6000 pieces of wool, pieces of metal tools, remnants of food and the bones of various animals.

Most important of all, they discovered more than 23,000 Chinese bamboo slips with Chinese characters, 10 silk books, 10 paper documents, and more than 460 pieces of linen paper. It is these that allow us to reconstruct daily life of an outpost at the edge of the empire.

Aerial view of the excavated Xuanquanzhi site

The written slips of bamboo tell us how this the site acquired its name. Legend had it that a general provided water for his thirsty troops be striking a rock with his sabre allowing water to flow. Its source was four miles up a ravine to the north of the pavilion. The spring was rumoured to be magical, adjusting its flow according to the number of people needing it. The name ‘pavilion’ changed over time…. from pavilion, to shelter, to post-station, to relay-station. Its functions remained the same – facilitating the movement of correspondence, receiving official delegations, and providing food and accommodation for travellers.

The site itself was a based on a 50×50-meter square courtyard with high walls (to protect from the high winds) and 29 earthen houses of various sizes inside and outside the courtyard. There were also some auxiliary buildings such as stables on the south and east sides of the courtyard. Moreover, a one-kilometre section of the post road, four metres wide, was discovered near the north wall.

The most complete set of eighteen bamboo slips

The bamboo slips provide the insights into daily life at the edge of the empire. This was not easy since they were mostly written in a script that has long since disappeared. This turned out to be a kind of simplified-Chinese developed by the military as a form of shorthand for writing messages quickly. The most complete document comprised 18 slips.

It also captures one of the main functions – receiving official delegations. It is early spring and the weather is cold. Se Fuhing, the chief officer of the station learns that a delegation of 84 officials and 300 soldiers belonging to Changluo Hou Changhui, a high ranking courtier, was due to pass by. Knowing the imperial hierarchy, Se Fuhing decides to pull out all the stops and preside over a feast for his guests – there are more than ten kinds of food on the table: beef, sheep, chicken, fish, wine, rice, millet, sauce, black beans and soup.

Artist’s impression of the Hanging Spring Pavilion

Kings and queens, ambassadors and envoys, from over 20 countries are recorded as having passed through the Hanging Spring’s facilities. In one reception, the King of Khotan arrived with 1,060 followers and more than 300 cups were used (everyone got to eat, only the more distinguished guests got to drink).

The passage of Princess Winsum required the laying of a special carpet in the dining room. On and on go the records – delegations of 34, 35, 70, 300, and even bigger passed through the site (those not qualified for a room slept in tents in the courtyard). In many cases, the accompanying cattle, camels and horses were also recorded – these would be part of ‘tribute trade’ which was really a form of high-stakes barter trade. There is one thing that is missing from all of this – there are no records of caravans passing through and in all the documentation, only 20 slips have any mention of trade goods. This should not be taken to mean that there was no trade. Many of the slips record along-side the ‘tribute’ animals, the presence of ‘private’ horses and camels. Clearly private merchants were travelling with the delegations, or even masquerading as official delegations.

On the wall of one of the outer buildings, archaeologists found the inscription of an Imperial edict dating from 5CE – entitled The Monthly Ordinances for the Four Seasons. There are 50 monthly orders that specify what should be done and what should not be done each month. The orders establish that all work involving agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, logging and fishing should follow the natural time sequence, in effect trying to ​​protect the agricultural ecosystem, forest resources, animal and water resources… possibly the world’s earliest “Environmental Protection Law”.

A letter home

Finally, I must mention one personal letter, written on silk and beautifully preserved. It is written by Yuan, a junior officer, to his friend and colleague, Zifang. After the usual greetings, there follows a list of suggestions and requests – buy yourself some new leather shoes and five good quality brushes, don’t forget to visit Jing Zifang, remind the family to write, to get a private seal engraved for Lu An, and buy Gua Yingwie a whip. I wonder if this was his own copy and whether the original was even posted. Did Guo Yingwei ever get his whip?

The site has now been backfilled to protect its integrity. Visitors can see the outlines and the corner piers on the north east and southwest. Meanwhile, there are tens of other post- and relay stations waiting to be discovered. Time will tell what treasures they will reveal. The Hanging Spring Pavilion is one of the ten sites featured in an exhibition about the Caravanserai of the silk road.

Screen shot of the Caravnserai Exhibition

You can find the exhibition and the supporting eLibrary at:

https://silkroadvirtualmuseum.com/caravanserai

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New adventures are always waiting

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New adventures are always waiting

By Alexandra Paucescu

In the diplomatic world, it is not uncommon for partners of diplomats to leave their jobs behind to travel the world and pursue new opportunities, sometimes even new career paths. There are only a few cases in which both partners can continue their initial careers and develop professionally unhindered. When it comes to diplomats, these happy cases are even rarer.

Sonja Gebauer, now Head of Press and Protocol Department and Political Counsellor at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bucharest, is one of them. Married to a career diplomat, she had the chance to see the diplomatic world from two different perspectives: as a diplomat herself and as a diplomatic spouse.

‘Both my husband and I always had the chance to work together at the German Embassy during our postings abroad. And I am very grateful to the Federal Foreign Office that they are supportive of couples being posted together which is, of course, not always easy to organize. I consider it a great privilege to represent my country as a diplomat abroad, thereby contributing to foster the relations of Germany with our many partners in the world. I joined the German diplomatic service more than 25 years ago and one thing that fascinated me from the beginning was that I was able to get to know new people, explore new countries and dive into different cultures. Having a Master in Political Sciences I am interested in international politics and even after such a long time being a diplomat is the most rewarding job I can imagine. I had the chance to live in New York, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Bangkok and now in Bucharest and I can say that each of these postings was amazing. I am thankful for all the experiences and the different areas I could work in, be it in the political, economic or cultural field, but most fulfilling is of course the opportunity to meet many interesting people during your time abroad.

Sonja Gebauer, Head of Press and Protocol Department and Political Counsellor at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bucharest. Copyright @Adrian Cobzasu

It´s hard to say where I felt happiest, because each of these postings reflects a different, very special period of my life. Obviously, it´s fascinating to start as a young diplomatic trainee in your early twenties in New York, the city that really never sleeps. But it was also a wonderful experience for me and my husband to serve as young German diplomats in Israel and in Japan. And I also remember how exciting it was to move abroad for the first time with our two little children to Bangkok. I have very fond memories of all these stations in my life.’

Sonja says that, with time, she found the right attitude to enjoy each move and embrace each change with hope and excitement. ’Of course, moving every three to four years is sometimes exhausting, but I always felt very energized when we learnt where we were moving next. I think it´s good to concentrate on the positive sides of a new posting – be it the beautiful nature, exciting new city, nice weather etc. and not to think about what you are missing or what is maybe not as convenient as back home. This has always helped me to enjoy each posting and make the best out of it.

If you ask me where HOME is, it´s now clearly Berlin! I grew up in the countryside near Stuttgart, my family is still living there and we visit them often. But Berlin is HOME now, where both our children were born, where we have most of our friends, our house and where we have been working for the Federal Foreign Office in between postings abroad – it´s our home base so to say and will always be.’

She is clearly passionate about her work, which, she confesses, she doesn’t see as a ‘9 to 5’ job. ‘You can be part of deepening the relations between Germany and your host country – and this can be done in so many ways, depending where you are: Be it peace mediation in conflict situations, supporting civil society and cultural diplomacy or promoting German businesses abroad.’

Sonja and husband, Dr Peer Gebauer. Copyright @Adrian Cobzasu

She always gets involved with local NGOs and women networks; she builds networks and friendships wherever they are. ‘I am very grateful for the many fascinating and courageous women I met all over the world. This has inspired me a lot to advocate our “Feminist Foreign Policy” in order to make sure that women and girls have equal rights, representation and resources, because our societies are more successful if we have an equal participation of women and if all groups of society are involved. Strong female networks help in achieving this goal. Therefore, we have founded a Women´s Association, “Frauen@diplo”, in our Federal Foreign Office a few years ago in order to promote gender equality both in our foreign policy but also within our Ministry. Here in Romania, I am amazed about the wonderful and active civil society. We work with many NGOs, agencies and politicians to support gender equality and fight against gender based violence. Raising awareness is so important!’

She is an active and involved woman who often tries to juggle between all the responsibilities she has in everyday life, as diplomat, wife and mother. ‘In general, I think it´s essential that we try to combine both, being posted abroad as a diplomatic spouse but also pursue our own profession, interests or hobbies. I like travelling, try to do sports, but I have to admit that with a full-time job and two children I don´t have so much time for hobbies.’

Sonja speaks modestly about all the activities and the many hats she wears. She encourages all diplomatic partners to find their role, separate from that of their spouses. ‘You certainly have your own role to play and you can contribute to diplomatic relations as yourself, as an individual and not only as the spouse of… I think it´s important to build your own networks when you move to a new posting, get engaged, meet with civil society groups.’

Experience speaks for itself, and Sonja adds at the end: ‘you need to think positive and always try to look at the beautiful and interesting aspects of life, your new host country, the new people you meet, the new adventures that are waiting for you!’


About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Author of “Just a Diplomatic Spouse” Romanian, management graduate with a Master in business, cultural diplomacy and international relations studies.

She speaks Romanian, English, French, German and Italian,  gives lectures on intercultural communication and is an active NGO volunteer.

Uruguay is a farmer’s paradise

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Uruguay is a farmer’s paradise

By Eric van de Beek

Dutch farmers considering emigration are not thinking primarily about South America. That would possibly be different if they knew about the opportunities on the continent. Three Dutch nationals living in Uruguay are full of enthusiasm. “If you want to have a future as a farmer, you have to farm somewhere else, where you can still are enabled to act as an entrepreneur.”

Located on the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean and bordering Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay is more than four times the size of The Netherlands but has five times fewer inhabitants. One and a half million of them live in the capital Montevideo. So there’s space in abundance for the other two million. Outside the capital there are many times more cows, sheep and horses than people. Uruguay’s main export product is beef, with soy in second place. Three Dutch nationals knowledgeable about the agricultural sector praise Uruguay for its favourable business climate, level of prosperity, political and economic stability and its western culture, among other things. They think there’s no future for farmers in The Netherlands. They are forced to curb animal numbers and to cut nitrogen emissions.

Gert Jan Mulder bought a 423-hectare farm in 2002, which he transformed – in his own words – into “a paradise” and which subsequently became worth “at least 12 times more”. Mulder, a former Rabobank representative for Latin America, did not lack financial means before he started farming, but the sale of his farm to a “rich North-American” two years ago, netted the farmer’s son a capital. Now he lives in Uruguay’s Saint-Tropez, Punta del Este, in a stylish villa, a stone’s throw from the beach. Last year, Mulder’s autobiography came out, entitled Vrijwel Onbeperkt, in which he looked back at his life. But it is mainly the present that keeps him busy, especially Dutch government policy that – in his opinion – has brought the country to the brink of the abyss. Mulder likes to talk a lot about issues such as mass immigration, Islamisation, wokeness, the ever-expanding civil service, Europe’s confrontational course towards Russia, the erosion of national sovereignty – but not right now. Our topic of conversation is the opportunities for Dutch farmers in Uruguay.

 “If I was still on a farm in the Netherlands, from yet another generation of my family, I would tell them to get lost,” Mulder says. “I wouldn’t let them chase me away from my land. So it’s great that those farmers are resisting. I support them. But that does not take away from the fact that in recent decades a number of trends have been set in motion that mean that a farmer in Europe, and certainly in the Netherlands, can no longer do business freely. If you want to have a future, you have to farm somewhere else, where you can still be an entrepreneur.”

Like in Uruguay. “I’ve had a farm in Uruguay for over 20 years and in that period of time I’ve been visited by officials only twice. Once they came to see if I had vaccinated the cattle against foot-and-mouth disease. And the second time some official from the capital came to ask why I didn’t participate in the census. So those two official visits in 20 years have taught me that you can do business freely here. The only thing that has been restricted in recent years is that you have to rotate your crops to keep the soil quality right. So you can’t do soya, soya, soya. How often you can grow soya or anything else depends on the quality of the soil. To grow crops, you have to submit a plan where you have to observe certain parameters. Other than that, you are just free to do business in Uruguay. But the same goes for Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, all countries where farmers can just still be farmers.”

Mulder has mainly been involved in cattle breeding. “I crossed Hereford cows, which are red-coloured beef cattle, with Aberdeen Angus, which are black-coloured beef cattle. In some years, we had up to 300 calves born in one year. In Uruguay, this is all done outside in the wild, without a vet. The cattle can do it all very well by themselves. Gestation was done by about 15 young bulls. One bull can cover about 30 cows per season. Those calves had a wonderful time with their mothers and grew like cabbages. The first six months we let them walk and drink with the mother cow. Taking calves away immediately as it happens in dairy cattle is heartless and unhealthy for both mother and calf.”

Besides Mulder, Mattijn Heijne also has a long history in Uruguay. His marketing studies at Hogeschool ‘s Hertogenbosch brought him to the South American continent; and it was his Dutch-Uruguayan wife that took him to Uruguay, where she inherited a family farm. Heijne represents a number of European companies in Latin America and teaches international cultural diversity management at the University of Montevideo.

“Opportunities for Dutch farmers are particularly for those who are able to be more productive on a square metre,” he says. “In the field of animal husbandry for the meat industry, the Dutch could probably learn a thing or two from the Uruguayans. And also in the production of soya and maize, for example, they are planting with the most modern techniques. But in all other areas of agriculture, a Dutchman can very likely gain an advantage over local farmers.”

The west of Uruguay is characterised by agriculture and that is because it is located on one of the three largest underground freshwater basins in the world. “It therefore has very fertile soil, which is extremely suitable for arable farming and growing products such as soya, maize, wheat and malt,” says Heijne. “In that region, the dairy industry is also the strongest.” In the central and eastern parts of the country, animal husbandry for the meat industry is the most important. Most of the livestock farming is focused on the meat industry with cows and sheep often combined on an estate. Sheep are often kept to clean up the grassland. “They eat the larger tussocks in the field, so the cows can better access the lower grass,” he says.

According to Heijne land often costs up to more than US$ 10,000 per hectare. In the eastern, less fertile parts of Uruguay, the price is around US $2,500 to US$ 3,500. Lands between the two areas cost around 5,000 and 7,000. Heijne stresses: “Foreigners here have exactly the same rights as Uruguayans and the government encourages skilled immigration.”

A third Dutchman in Uruguay is Jan Meekma. He is a farmer’s son, business administrator and is brooding on a plan to set up a cooperative for Dutch farmers in his new country of residence. He ended up with Uruguay after having discarded other Latin American countries. He refrained from Brazil because its language is Portuguese; he found Spanish easier to learn. Chile and Argentina deterred him because of the strict measures the governments of these countries had taken during the corona pandemic; “they were even stricter than in the Netherlands”. For Argentina, moreover, the country is politically and economically very unstable and Chile has taken an “extreme left-wing course”. Paraguay was also a serious option for Meekma, but it ended up being Uruguay. Important reasons for him were that the country is politically stable and self-sufficient in both food and energy production. “For farmers, Uruguay is a paradise. Because you have a very even climate. The animals can walk outside all year round. There is enough rainfall and enough sunshine, which you need to get quality grass.”

Meekma explored opportunities for Dutch cheesemakers in Uruguay, but that trail reached a dead end. “There is a brand new milk powder manufacturer here, Alimentos Fray Bentos, which is only running at 30 per cent of its capacity because of insufficient milk supply. There are just too few cows delivering milk here.”

Meekma is now brooding on a plan to establish a colony in Uruguay of Dutch farmers, following the example of cooperatives set up in Brazil by the Dutch in the last century, namely Frisia, Castrolanda and Capal. With a combined annual turnover of more than US$ 5.5 billion by 2022, they are among the most successful enterprises in Brazil. In Uruguay, cooperatives enjoy significant tax advantages. Other benefits Meekma mentions of this business model include the opportunity to develop a circular agri-culture and establish a Dutch community with schools and shops. “Also, as a cooperative one enjoys a strong position, both in markets and relative to public authorities.”

Photography by Mattijn Heijne

EREZ Corporate Services – Pioneers Licensed by the Dutch Central Bank

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EREZ Corporate Services – Pioneers Licensed by the Dutch Central Bank

EREZ Corporate Services – Your Gateway to Success in the Netherlands, 25 Years of Excellence: Pioneers Licensed by the Dutch Central Bank

EREZ Corporate Services stands as one of the pioneering entities licensed by the Dutch Central Bank under the Trust Offices Supervision Act (Wtt) in 2004. With an impressive 25 years of experience, we have evolved from a family business into a trusted name in the industry. For us, clients aren’t just clients; they’re family.

Your Company, Our Expertise

At EREZ, we redefine corporate services, offering a seamless one-stop-shop for all your business needs. Whether it’s management, domiciliation, accounting, or legal services, including complete administration and tax filing for our (international) customers, we act as your eyes, ears, and hands in the Netherlands. Our commitment is unwavering, bridging international legislative, tax-related, and cultural gaps on your behalf.

Expertise That Matters

Sustainable client relationships are the foundation of our success. Our international in-house team, alongside auditors, tax advisors, lawyers, and notary officers in our vast network, ensure that your business interests are served diligently. Expertise matters, and at EREZ, it’s a cornerstone of our service.

Internationally Close to You

From EMEA countries and Asia to North and South America, clients worldwide benefit from EREZ Corporate Services. Situated in Hilversum, near Amsterdam, and conveniently close to Schiphol International Airport, we make it our mission to be accessible. With professionals fluent in Dutch, French, English, German, Russian, and Hebrew, we’re always at your service, making sure you feel like we’re just around the corner.

Dedicated to Meeting Your Business Goals

Looking to establish or expand your business internationally? EREZ Corporate Service has the knowledge and experience to guide you. Benefit from the stability, EU membership, favorable tax rates, and treaties with over one hundred countries that the Netherlands offers. Share your corporate ambitions with us, and we’ll make it our personal business to help you achieve them.

Ready to elevate your business to new heights? Choose EREZ Corporate Services – where your success is our priority. Contact us today to embark on a journey of excellence and prosperity!

Harry Blik

Erez Corporate Service B.V.

Koninginneweg 31
1217 KR  Hilversum  
The Netherlands
+31 35 621 8282

info@erez.nl

www.erez.nl

Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang’s official visit to the Republic of Guinea

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Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang’s official visit to the Republic of Guinea

From 26-28 March 2024, the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mame Mandiaye Niang, conducted an official visit to the Republic of Guinea in the context of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Prosecutor Karim AA Khan KC and the President of the Republic, General Mamadi Doumbouya, on September 28, 2022 in Conakry. The memorandum commits both Guinea and the ICC Office of the Prosecutor to work actively and collaboratively to further the principle of complementarity and ensure accountability for alleged international crimes committed in Guinea in the context of the 28 September 2009 events at the national stadium in Conakry. Eleven accused have been charged in a domestic trial for alleged crimes committed during the events in which between 156 and 200 people were allegedly killed or disappeared, and at least 109 women were raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence.

During his meeting with Prime Minister M. Amadou Oury Bah and Minister of Justice and Human Rights M. Yaya Kaïraba Kaba, Deputy Prosecutor Niang expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing trial and Guinea’s clear commitment to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice. “Guinea’s capacity and willingness to hold the perpetrators to account are palpable. Despite the existing challenges – not uncommon to most criminal proceedings in different countries, this commitment represents a strong example of complementarity in practice, with the trial being followed across the world.”

During their exchanges with Deputy Prosecutor Niang, Guinean authorities identified needs for support, including with respect to the investigation and prosecution of gender-based crimes, witnesses’ and victims’ protection and reparations. The Deputy Prosecutor committed to engage further with key actors and partners such as the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, the ICC’s Victims and Witnesses Section and the ICC Trust Fund for Victims with a view to propose an action plan aimed at providing a targeted exchange of expertise and knowledge transfer for the benefit of judicial personnel involved in the ongoing trial and beyond. 

During the mission, the President of the Guinean Bar Association, M. Mohamed Souaré Diop, and his team provided to the OTP delegation the perspective of defense lawyers and victims’ representatives on the ongoing proceedings and trial, emphasizing that the trial is on good course despite recurring challenges. 

Deputy Prosecutor Niang also engaged with representatives of the diplomatic community, including the European Union and France, civil society and victims of the 28 September 2009 events.

“I greatly appreciated the close and humbling exchange with victims. It brought back into sharp focus the human cost of atrocity crimes. The victims’ physical and mental suffering continues to date. Bringing justice to these women and men, and enabling them to feel safe again are the minimum standards we should hold ourselves up to. The Office, jointly with its partners, will continue to support the national authorities in their endeavor to hold perpetrators accountable and provide meaningful assistance to victims,” Deputy Prosecutor Niang stated.

During his mission, Deputy Prosecutor Niang was accompanied by a delegation of the ICC Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) who provided expertise on victims’ reparations following the joint OTP/TFV technical mission of March 2023. Coll

Fantasy comes from Ghosts -Gaudi and other Catalan Architects

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Fantasy comes from Ghosts -Gaudi and other Catalan Architects


A live lecture by Dr. Jacqueline Cockburn

Join us for this captivating lecture given by Jacqueline Cockburn on ‘Fantasy comes from Ghosts – Gaudi and other Catalan architects’ in the Warenar Cultural Center (Kerkstraat 75, 2242 HE Wassenaar) on Tuesday 9th April 2024 at 20.00 hours, also streamed at home at 20.00 hrs.

Antoni Gaudí is well known and much loved.  In this lecture, his work will be explored in detail. It will be shown how he engaged with nature and worked with extraordinary ceramicists, iron workers, tilers, and decorative artists.  We will look at his public and private buildings and his relationship with a wealthy and demanding patron.  Private, shy and retiring, he was also humorous and witty in his extravagant style. 

However, it will also be the aim of this lecture to uncover some of the other architects working in Barcelona over the turn of the twentieth century; Domenech y Muntaner and Puig y Cadafalch.  Attention will be paid to several significant and ravishing buildings and some less well-known buildings in Barcelona.

This will be a live lecture with the lecturer physically present in the Warenar theatre.  We are hoping that members and guests will take the opportunity to come to the Warenar 

About the speaker: Dr Jacqueline Cockburn

Jacqueline is Managing Director of an art tours company, running residential courses in Andalucía, Southern Spain in the art and culture of the region www.artandculturetravel.com  Jacqueline is a course director and lecturer at the V&A and also lectures at The Royal Academy, The Art Fund, The London Art History Society and has toured New Zealand and Australia for The Arts Society.

Her specialist field is Spanish Art, but she also lectures on European Art 1790-1950. Her most recent publication is A Taste of Art, London (Unicorn Press 2019). Jacqueline films her lectures and is currently delivering lectures, study days and courses online and live.

The lecture is free of charge for members of the Arts Society. However, non-members are kindly requested to contribute a guest fee of EUR 15 in advance. Secure your spot today! The Warenar doors open at 19.15 hrs.

To register for this lecture, please visit our website at:

https://theartssociety.org/the-hague

Please ensure that you register before Monday, 8 April 2024. The lecture will commence at 20:00 on Tuesday, 9 April. For non-members, the guest fee for attending one lecture is €15. Membership fees for the entire season, which includes access to 8 lectures and other activities, are €75 for individuals and €140 for couples. Half-year memberships are also available at €37.50 for individuals and €70 for couples. Students are eligible for a half-price membership.

Ukraine is now ‘Holy War,’ Russian Church declares

Diplomat Magazine
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Ukraine is now ‘Holy War,’ Russian Church declares

By Brendan Cole

Newsweek (28.03.2024) – The Russian Orthodox Church has approved a document that deems President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine a “Holy War.”

The declaration came during a congress of the World Russian People’s Council in which religious, political and cultural figures in the country met at the site of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a focal point for the Orthodox faith in Russia.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, also heads the council and is an ally of Putin. He has been criticized for providing a religious justification for the war and failing to unequivocally condemn the killing of people in Ukraine.

In February 2022, Patriarch Kirill said that Ukraine and Belarus were part of “Russian lands” and called the Ukrainians who were defending themselves against Russian aggression as “forces of evil,” pitching the war as a battle for the future of Christianity.

“From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, are defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia,” the document released on Wednesday said under the heading “special military operation,” which is the official Kremlin term for the invasion.

It went on to claim that the war had the goal of “protecting the world from the onslaught of globalism and the victory of the West, which has fallen into Satanism.”

Following the war, “the entire territory of modern Ukraine should enter the zone of Russia’s exclusive influence,” it said.

“The possibility of the existence of a Russophobic political regime hostile to Russia and its people on this territory, as well as a political regime controlled from an external center hostile to Russia, should be completely excluded,” it added.

Orthodox church representatives globally, such as the U.S.-based Orthodox Public Affairs Committee (OPAC), have condemned the war. After the start of Putin‘s invasion on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) cut ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.

When contacted for comment the UOC referred Newsweek to its media statement in which it said it “dissociates herself from, categorically rejects, and condemns the ideas set out in this document.”

“The assertion that the so-called ‘special military operation’ is a ‘Holy War’ contradicts the basic principles of Christian morality, especially in the light of the armed aggression with the use of violence.

“From the point of view of the Gospel, military actions cannot be justified as ‘holy’, nor can such assertions be made by people who call themselves clerics,” the UOC statement added.

Willy Fautré, who heads the group Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), told Newsweek that Patriarch Kirill “might have been the only person who had the power to stop President Putin in his war on Ukraine and make history as a peacemaker.”

But the patriarch’s document shows he would go down in history “as an accomplice to war crimes and as the gravedigger of the Russian Orthodox Church.”

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for comment.

This month, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, told Newsweek that where Russia has arrived in Ukraine, “they exterminate all other religions besides the well-controlled and weaponized Russian Orthodox Church.”

“For Russian occupiers, the weaponization of religion is something new, is a neologism,” Shevchuk said. “It is why the Ukrainian government and Ukraine’s religious society is forced to find different ways to protect ourselves from the weaponization of religion.”

The church he heads has full communion with the Vatican and is the second largest in the Catholic faith after the Latin Church. He visited Washington, D.C., this month to describe to U.S. lawmakers, who are weighing the provision of further aid to Kyiv, the extent of destruction of religious buildings caused by the war.

The Kyiv-based Institute for Religious Freedom said in February 2023 that the Russian military had destroyed, damaged or looted at least 494 religious buildings, with the figure estimated to be far higher today.

“That is also a challenge for my church, not to become militant,” Shevchuk said, adding that the aim is “not to fall to the same temptation the Russian Orthodox Church fell into and become an instrument of hatred.”

Update 03/30/24, 1 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Willy Fautré and a statement from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Deliberate Acts of Destruction and Desecration of Islamic Cultural and Religious Heritage in Non-Muslim Countries

Diplomat Magazine
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Deliberate Acts of Destruction and Desecration of Islamic Cultural and Religious Heritage in Non-Muslim Countries

By Sheherazade Amin

No religion is inherently violent.  However, religious ideology is a powerful force. States have been built on the backbone of religions; the highest positions of power have been attained in the name of religion. Thus, it comes as no shock when religion inspires horrific acts of viciousness within its followers. It may not have been intentional, but the disconnect between intention and act has existed since the beginning.

Preserving cultural and religious heritage in countries where that ideology is not in the majority has always been contentious. Babri Mosque, which had been a part of the city of Ayodhya since Emperor Babur, the first Mughal Emperor, seemed to face the fate that every heritage or history had to face when it did not represent the majority. Despite standing tall since 1528, the mosque faced incredible acts of violence when, in 1992, an organised mob of at least 75,000 Hindus stormed it. They used everything at hand, hammers, rods, and shovels, to tear its beautiful architecture to the ground. It must be noted that though Indian authorities were on site, they silently watched. This act of violence was not contained to the mosque itself; several cities witnessed intense Hindu-Muslim riots.

This savagery was not random but a culmination of decades, if not centuries-old, conflict. The mosque was initially constructed in 1528, and there seemed to be no reported instances of discord between 1528 and 1853. The first recorded occurrence of variance was in 1853, ironically the year the British started implementing their “divide and rule” policy in full force. A single Hindu sect claimed that a temple was destroyed during Emperor Babur’s reign to make way for the construction of the Babri mosque.  Directed by the Allahabad High Court in 2003, an archaeological survey was conducted to determine whether a Hindu temple existed on the site.

A team headed by an Indo-Japanese company conducted a surface survey using a ground-penetration radar to answer this question.  Their conclusion was a controversial one that seemed to be heavily influenced by the demographics of the then 1 billion population, 85 per cent of which was Hindu and only 12 per cent Muslim. They recorded that their survey concluded that there might be remains of what could be construed as a 16th-century Hindu Temple. This report drafted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) remains contested. Several key stakeholders, such as the Sunni Waqf Board, a party to the Ayodhya title dispute case, have labelled it “vague and self-contradictory.” 

Ms Varma, a professor of archaeology at Jawaharlal Nehru University, in an interview at the time, detailed why little to no evidence had been found to support the claim made. Instead, she states, remnants of “older mosques” have been found beneath Babri Mosque. She further details how this report never mentions the finding of any temple or its remains, and the three key features it identifies are those standards to the design of a mosque, not a temple. 

Despite a highly controversial report, in 2010, a bench of the Allahabad High Court ruled that both communities should share the site. The judgment read that “two-thirds of the 2.77-acre (1.12-hectare) site belongs to Hindu Groups – NirmohiAkhara sect and RamlilaVirajman – and   the   rest to   the Muslim group (Sunni Central Wakf Board, UP).”  This solution seemed to be plucked out of the history books as this was precisely what the British did in 1859, which led to the closed site, and several civil suits were filed between 1950 and 1961.

Understanding the legal history behind this conflict is pertinent because it illustrates that it could have quickly been resolved by properly implementing judicial procedures. However, the BhartiyaJanata Party (BJP) saw an opportunity after Hindu far-right groups formed a committee in 1984 to spearhead the construction of a temple. In 1990, BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani led a nationwide campaign to build a temple in the place of the mosque. Though Lal Krishna Advani was arrested, this was the beginning of a deep seethed divide between both communities that exist today.

It must be noted that both these communities seemed to live relatively peacefully pre-colonisation, and even post-1947, the gulf of the divide did not seem so vast.  However, it appeared, as is in most cases, that power, not religion, was a driver in the deliberate acts of destruction and desecration of Islamic cultural and religious heritage in India. The BJP capitalised on the simmering tensions between both communities left behind by the British in their attempt to establish control in the sub-continent and campaigned heavily for the building of the temple as a symbol of Hindu heritage.

The sentiment was so strong that although Indian authorities were present on site, they did not bat an eye during the entire affair. Though several prominent, high-ranking leaders were arrested in 1992, in subsequent years, they were acquitted as the power of the BJP was on the rise. In 2020, Lal Krishna Advani was acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.  He was a former mentor to then Prime Minister NarendraModi.

There is a huge difference between people-centric and state-centric acts of violence, especially against vulnerable minority groups in society. People-centric violence can be curbed and treated with good governance, policymaking, public campaigns, etc. State-centric violence is when the apple is rotten from within, and unless there is a massive overhaul of change, it is proven to be destructive.

The Babri Mosque incident is just a case study of an epidemic that has already consumed most of the Republic of India that still, despite various such incidents, claims to be secular. Instead, it is yet another state suffering from the emergence of the far right. Inflaming communities against one another has been a time-old tradition, especially in post-colonial states. The maintenance of power structures seems to hinge on such tactics, whether it is the Babri Mosque or the Gujrat Massacre. In 2020, when Prime Minister NarendraModi laid the foundation stone of the Ram Temple, he signalled that for him, such state-centric violence was a necessity and that he inadvertently endorsed it (in the name of Hindutva) as it helped maintain his position of power.

Thus, one should condemn all deliberate acts of destruction and cultural and religious heritage desecration. One should especially note and try to correct instances where the state endorses such acts because the people of a state can be appealed to and taught. However, correcting a state and its ideology and mechanisms is nearly impossible.                    

About the author:

Sheherazade Amin

Sheherazade Amin, is a lawyer who works as a Research Fellow at the Centre of Excellence of International Law, Institute of Strategic Studies, Research Analysis. She previously studied at SOAS, University of London and completed her LL.M at University of California Berkeley.

Email: sheherazadeamin95@gmail.com

Truce now, brings no peace

Diplomat Magazine
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Truce now, brings no peace

By John Dunkelgrün

Life in Gaza is hell, as everyone will agree. The daily images of devastation, dead and hungry children, crying parents, and entire destroyed neighborhoods cannot leave any decent person unfazed. Staff from international organizations, and in particular from the United Nations, are warning of a humanitarian disaster and calling for an immediate ceasefire. The call for the immediate release of hostages is heard less. It seems forgotten, or even condoned, that it was Hamas that deliberately provoked this misery among the residents of Gaza.

Israel and Egypt closed off Gaza’s borders in 2007 after Hamas, an organization known internationally as a terrorist group, took power there. Hamas had as its goal the destruction of Israel and was also a mortal threat to Gaza residents who disagreed with it. Hamas waged a murderous reign of terror in Gaza all this time. There have now been five wars between Hamas and Israel, all in response to unprovoked Hamas attacks on Israel. Hamas has announced that the October 7 action will be repeated over and over again. That means, time after time, there will be counterattacks by Israel, and time after time, the people of Gaza will be the victims. No wonder Israel does not want to stop until Hamas is rendered toothless. No other country would accept such a neighbor, and no other country has proposed an alternative to Israel’s actions.

Whatever the situation becomes on the morning after, Hamas must be disempowered. This is as good for the people of Gaza as it is for the people of Israel. Perhaps Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States should form a transitional government until a working and peaceful Palestinian state is possible.

Hamas must go so that Gazans can live and finally start building a future of peace and prosperity.

Having said that, I don’t understand why Israel doesn’t allow more relief goods in. Yes, it will include dual-use products and perhaps some weaponry. That will make it more difficult for the Israeli military, but the damage Israel now incurs in the court of public opinion and in its ties with its allies is many times greater.

I understand and feel the pain and anger in Israel after the deliberately horrific events on Oct. 7, but starving over two million people is morally and strategically indefensible and goes against everything I know of Jewish tradition and law.

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