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Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, announced in a statement that Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa had submitted a application for the country to return to the 53-member group of mostly British former colonies.
To rejoin, Zimbabwe must go through an assessment followed by consultations with other members states, which must agree to its membership.
Zimbabwe was first suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002 on the grounds that Mugabe, who had ruled the country since independence in 1980, rigged his re-election in 2002 and persecuted his opponents.
Mugabe was ousted last November following a military coup d’état, and impending impeachment ending his 37-year rule over the country.
The Commonwealth Secretariat shall dispatch observers to monitor the country’s elections in July 2018, following an invitation from the Zimbabwean government as part of the process to rejoin the international organisation.
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MUSICAL PROGRAMME
Israel, which is not a signatory party to the ICC’s Rome Statue, publicly voiced its opposition to the ICC probe, and threatened the PA of repercussions. Dr. Malki and his colleagues stressed that, in spite of Israel’s absence in the ICC, the Court probe would nevertheless have jurisdiction over the Palestinian issue, given that the referred crimes have been committed on the soil of Palestine, a Member State in the ICC.
However, given the absence of an ICC police force and Israel’s lack of cooperation, the Court would have to rely on the actions of its Member States to enforce any potential decisions.
Questioned by the journalists, Prof. Dugard also explained the reasons behind the choice of the referral’s focus on the issue of settlements. Settlements – the Professor explained – are the most glaring aspect of Israel’s “colonial enterprise,” and the evidence on this issue is huge. However, as Mr. Hijazi clarified, while the investigation would indeed focus on settlements, its overall scope would definitely be wider, including a series of other crimes such as the recent violence committed in Gaza against Palestinian civilians.
Finally, answering to the journalists, Dr. Malki also highlighted the multilateral nature of this initiative. He noted that the Palestinian referral to the ICC has been supported by a number of countries, as well as by a series of resolutions issued by different intergovernmental organizations, such as the League of the Arab States, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, the African Union, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Now, the decision whether to follow up on the referral and open a formal investigation lies in the hand of Chief Prosecutor Ms. Bensouda and her office. Time will tell what the outcome of Tuesday morning’s actions will be. In the meanwhile, however, Dr. Malki closed his statement with a vow: the Palestinian Authority “will not allow injustice to be Palestine’s destiny.”
Ambassadors of many countries, members of the Diplomatic Corps, OPCW, members of the various The Hague based Judicial Institutions, fellow South Africans and friends, were in attendance. Ambassador Koloane welcomed the many guests and delivered the following remarks:
“I would like to first take this opportunity to thank all of you for accepting our invitation to commemorate the 24th anniversary of our National day as the Republic of SA.
24 Years ago, South Africans of all races, gender, colour, creed and religious beliefs, were for the first time in their lives, able to exercise their democratic right to vote as equals before the law for a government of their choice, thus marking South Africa’s transition from the dark period of apartheid oppression to a free and equal society.



We thank you sincerely, and would like to also convey our plea for an urgent need to further co-operate with us in the implementation of the radical economic transformation journey to ensure that we do not reverse the socio-political and economic gains already made.
Some of the most vocal, supportive anti-apartheid movements were in this country, The Netherlands, and it’s therefore no co-incidence that the first ANC policy conference that took a decision for a 50% mainstreaming of women in all government portfolios and in all three spheres of government, took place in The Netherlands.






King Felipe VI being received at Geilenkirchen by Ambassador Maria Victoria Morera – Picture by Casa de S.M. el Rey, Household of the Spanish Monarchy.
Thursday, 10 May 2018, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain joined other heads of state and government to ceremony granting the International Prize Charlemagne to French President Emmanuel Macron.
Don Felipe VI arrived at the NATO base of Geilenkirchen in the vicinities of Aachen, wherein he was received by his ambassador to Germany, HE María Victoria Morera in order to attend the ceremony on 10 May.
The “Internationaler Karlpreis der Stadt Aachen” was set up in 1949. Since 1998 is known as the “Internationaler Karlpreis zu Aachen”. It is awarded since 1950 annually to personalities from the fields of politics, economics and spirituality who foster European unity. Since 1997 the award is buttressed up by the Foundation International Prize Charlemagne that aids to promote the goal of further European integration as well as to maintaining the peaceful dialogue amongst European states.King Juan Carlos of Spain was granted the award in 1982. King Felipe VI attended the ceremony for the first time in 2015 for the bestowal to then European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
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