HK Chief Executive attended WEF 

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HK Chief Executive attended WEF 
Chief Executive, Ms. Carrie Lam and WEF Founder and CEO, Prof. Klaus Schwab. 22-27 January 2018, Davos, Swiss Federation: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam, accompanied by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau and Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury James Lau, attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (WEF) held at Davos, Switzerland on January 25 and 26, where they had a series of engagements with top officials of various countries and international organisations. Mrs. Lam took the opportunity to brief audiences about Hong Kong’s advantages for business and encouraged them to make use of them. In her first day at Davos, Chief Executive Lam was hosted by the Women Political Leaders Global Forum (WPL), founded by the former German member of the European Parliament, Silvana Koch-Mehrin. 
Mrs. Carrie Lam and Swiss Federal Counsellor Johann Schneider-Ammann (Economic Affairs, Education, and Research).
On her event-packed schedule, Mrs. Lam had exchanges with senior members of international bodies, officials of Switzerland and other places, as well as business leaders from all over the world. She promoted Hong Kong unique benefits for business at several speaking engagements and encouraged audiences to take advantage of them.
Previous to her Davos participation, Mrs. Lam paid a bilateral visit to Switzerland, which took her to Bern, Basel, Lucerne, and Zürich. In Zürich, she visited the Impact Hub, a global community which supports innovative start-ups and the Zurich University of the Arts. During the visit, Mrs. Lam witnessed the signing of three MoUs between Hong Kong and the Helvetian authorities to strengthen collaboration in financial services. 

Hong Kong has a representative office located in Berlin, which also oversees Hong Kong’s bilateral ties with Switzerland. For further information:
WEF visit: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201801/26/P2018012600159.htm?fontSize=1 Bilateral visit to Switzerland: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201801/24/P2018012400047.htm HK Representative Office in Germany covering Switzerland (Director HO Betty): http://www.hketoberlin.gov.hk ————- Pictures by Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Britain appoints “Minister for Loneliness” 

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Britain appoints “Minister for Loneliness” 
Tracey Crouch. Picture by Chris McAndrew ( Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license). Wednesday, 17 January 2018, London, UK: Her Britannic Majesty’s Government appointed a post as “Minister for Loneliness” at the suggestion of the Rt Hon Prime Minister Theresa May. The appointed minister is Tracey Crouch, a hitherto a minor government member and Conservative MP. She shall tackle recommendations hailing from the “Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness” to create a government-wide strategy to fight against one of the society’s biggest health concerns. Tracey Crouch, was till then Undersecretary for Sport and Civil Society in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Britain is dealing with a serious case of loneliness. A study published in 2017 by the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness found out that over 9 million people out of Britain’s nearly 66 million inhabitants often or always feel lonely. The report also said that loneliness costs British employers over $3 billion per year. Further governmental research revealed that about 200,000 elderly people in Britain had not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month. Doctors say that loneliness can be worse for your health than smoking, and can lead to cardiovascular disease, depression and death. A 2012 study from the peer-reviewed Jama Internal Medicine Journal found that people 45 and older who lived alone were more likely to die than those who shared a home with others. For further information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minister_for_Loneliness

French Speaker addresses the Bundestag 

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French Speaker addresses the Bundestag 
François de Rugy, Speaker of the French National Assembly. Picture by Bruno Perroud. Monday, 22 January 2018, Bundestag’s Plenary Assembly, Berlin: To mark 55 years since the signing of the Élysée Treaty of friendship and reconciliation between the then West German Republic and the French Republic, the Speaker of the French National Assembly, François Goullet de Rugy, held an allocution before federal German parliamentarians. His German counterpart, Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble, responded to the courtesy by traveling on the same day in the afternoon to Paris to speak before the French National Assembly, accompanied by an inter-parliamentary delegation of German MPs. François Goullet de Rugy addressed his audience in impeccable German. He urged his Bundestag colleagues to vote in collaboration with French deputies for a renewed treaty of friendship between Germany and France in the spirit of the Élysée Treaty signed on 22 January 1963 by French President Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Albeit neither President Emmanuel Macron nor Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel were present during the speech, they delivered a mutual video recorded at the Salon Murat located in the Élysée Palace urging the MPs to buttress up enthusiasm for the renewed treaty. President Macron already flirted with the idea of a renewed treaty back in September 2017 in an effort to further solidify Franco-German ties as a spinal cord for a stark European Union. For further information: Full text of Élysée Treaty: http://www.deutschland-frankreich.diplo.de/Elysee-Vertrag-22-Januar-1963,347.html French National Assembly: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr

“The Diwan” – Arab Culture House in Berlin 

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“The Diwan” – Arab Culture House in Berlin 
In the picture: Sigmar Gabriel, Dr. Mustapha Adib (Lebanon’s Ambassador to Germany), Ambassador Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and FM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar and Sigmar Gabriel, Foreign Minister of Germany, jointly inaugurated last November “Der Diwan – The Arab Culture House” in Berlin. The event serves as a major milestone for Qatar-German Year of Culture, and will also be a legacy of the year marked with numerous collaborative ventures and cultural exchanges. Addressing the public at the opening Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said:”With the opening of the Arab Cultural House in Berlin today, we celebrate the long-standing friendship between Germany and Qatar. The Diwan will be a platform for lively cultural exchanges and development, and a testament of our commitment to building bridges with nations around the world”. The attendees for the opening included government representatives and professionals from a variety of fields, who had the opportunity to learn about the unique history of the Diwan and its significance in the German-Qatar relationship. HE Ambassador Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani, Head of Mission of the State of Qatar to Germany added: “The Qatar Germany Year of Culture 2017 has seen many inspiring initiatives to build bridges between our cultures. Today, we celebrate the opening of the Arab Cultural House in Berlin, which offers a distinct space for German and Arabic culture and its relations to be strengthened.”
Official Opening of The Diwan.
The new “Der Diwan” is an invaluable contribution to German heritage and the latest addition to Berlin’s diverse and vibrant cultural landscape. The Cultural House carries the significance of being Qatar’s first cultural center outside of Qatar and its opening in marks an exciting new chapter in the Qatari-German cultural relations. Located in the Zehlendorf district of Berlin, the cultural house, formerly known as Villa Calé, was built between 1904 and 1907 by publisher Franz Calé and is considered to be one of the most beautiful villas in Berlin.  The Diwan has a rich and colorful history, having previously been used for private housing, then hosting the Institute of Film and Image in Science and Education, before the State of Qatar purchased the building in 1997. For further information: http://botschaft-katar.de/en/der-diwan-arab-culture-house-opens-doors-in-berlin/ http://botschaft-katar.de/en/in-pictures-opening-of-der-diwan-the-arab-culture-house/ ———————– Pictures by Embassy of the State of Qatar to the Federal Republic of Germany.

The other voice by Ramsey Nasr goes on tour after success

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The other voice by Ramsey Nasr goes on tour after success
‘Ramsey Nasr’s acting is superb‘ – Het Nieuwsblad ★★★★ The basis of The other voice is La voix humaine, Jean Cocteau’s farewell monologue in which a woman calls her ex-lover for the last time. The audience can only guess the answers of the absent ex, based on her reactions. Ramsey Nasr wondered what the man on the other side of the line had to say and wrote a text that fits perfectly into the original text by Cocteau: The other voice. Nasr performs this male reply under the direction of Ivo van Hove. The play will go on a tour of the Netherlands and Belgium on 19 January. While Cocteau’s monologue mainly tells the story of one woman, The other voice dissects the entire relationship. It is the story of two people, addicted to each other, knowing they were never made for each other. While the man wants to move on and tries to be practical, the woman on the other side of the line appears to be going through something much more difficult. But it only seems that way. As the play progresses, it becomes clear that both partners have been damaged by this love story. The telephone conversation becomes a lifeline.

Gerhard Jarosch at Eurojust

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Gerhard Jarosch at Eurojust
Mr. Gerhard Jarosch was appointed National Member for Austria at Eurojust for a four-year term, starting 1 January 2018. In accordance with Article 2(1) of the Eurojust Decision, the appointment was approved by the Secretary General of the Council of the European Union. From 1999 until 2003, Mr. Jarosch was a prosecutor in Eisenstadt, Austria, situated near the EU Schengen border with Hungary. There he dealt with a large variety of criminal cases. He became a prosecutor in Vienna in 2003, specialised in organised crime and terrorism cases and international legal cooperation. In 2008, Mr. Jarosch became a Senior Prosecutor. Since 2009, Mr. Jarosch was Deputy Chief Prosecutor in Vienna. Mr. Jarosch is the President of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), former President of the Austrian Association of Prosecutors and former President of the Austrian Prosecutors Personnel Representation. Following his appointment, Mr Jarosch said: ‘As the President of the IAP, I am already acquainted with many colleagues at Eurojust, which should make this appointment a smooth transition.’ Mr. Jarosch replaces Ms. Gabriela Hornbeck as National Member for Austria.

South African Parliamentarians Visit OPCW

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South African Parliamentarians Visit OPCW
A senior delegation of the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence from South Africa visited last week the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), to gain insight into the Organisation’s current and future priorities for upholding the international ban on chemical weapons.
The delegation led by the Whip of the Committee, Mr. James Skosana, met with OPCW’s Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, who presented the key developments in OPCW’s current work and outlined the vision for its future activities. He highlighted the Organisation’s growing role in strengthening the prevention of the re-emergence of chemical weapons and its continuous attention to building the capacity of States Parties from Africa. The delegation also included: Ms. Zephroma Dlamini-Dubazana; Mr. Russel Cebekulu; Mr. Dennis Dumisani Gamede; Mr. Donald Mlindwa Gumede; Mr. Bantubonke Holomisa; Mr. Herman Groenewald; Mr. Sibusiso Christopher Mncwabe; Mr. Phello Parkies; Mr. Hendrik Schmidt; Mr. Dirk Stubbe; Ms. Tabiso Wana; and Mr. John Sefako. The delegation was accompanied by Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa to the OPCW, Mr. Gaylord Ngcobo.

ISS PhD call for applications

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ISS PhD call for applications
15 Marie Sklodowska-Curie PhD positions Well-being, Ecology, Gender and Community-Innovative Training Network (WEGO-ITN) On behalf of the WEGO-ITN, The International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rotterdam is pleased to announce the recruitment of 15 Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSCA) PhD positions (Early Stage Researchers). WEGO-ITN’s consortium is made up of scholar-activists working on feminist political ecology from ten institutions in five European Union countries: Germany, Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom and eight institutions from six countries for training and secondments: Australia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Uruguay and USA. For more information, visit:  https://www.iss.nl/en/research-15/research-programmes/projects/civil-society-and-market/research-projects/well-being https://www.iss.nl/en/news/15-marie-sklodowska-curie-phd-positions

Bensouda condemns violence in Benghazi

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Bensouda condemns violence in Benghazi

ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, condemns recent violence in Benghazi, Libya.

I am deeply concerned by reports that unidentified persons detonated two car bombs outside theBaya’at al-Radwan mosque in the Al-Salmani district of Benghazi, Libya on the evening of 23 January 2018, killing at least 34 people, including children, and wounding over 90 others.

I am equally appalled by photographs and video made public on 24 January 2018, that purportedly show Major Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli executing 10 persons in front of the Baya’at al-Radwan mosque, in what appears to constitute retaliation for the cowardly bombings of 23 January 2018.

These bombings and executions demand both condemnation and a meaningful response. My Office remains committed to doing its part, within its means, by investigating and prosecuting grave crimes in Libya falling under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “Court”), in particular, the crimes of commanders and superiors, irrespective of the identity of the perpetrators or their affiliation.

Since 15 August 2017, Mr al-Werfalli has been the subject of a warrant of arrest issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC for his alleged direct participation in seven incidents in 2016 and 2017, in which 33 individuals were executed.

I once again repeat my call to Libya to take all necessary steps possible to immediately arrest and surrender Mr al-Werfalli to the ICC. I also repeat my call on all States, including members of the United Nations Security Council, to support Libya in facilitating Mr al-Werfalli’s arrest and surrender to the Court.

I note that on 24 January 2018, the United Nations Mission in Libya expressed alarm at the “brutal and outrageous summary executions in Benghazi” and demanded the immediate handover of Mr al-Werfalli to the ICC.  These calls must be heeded with concrete follow-up action.  Only when perpetrators realise there will be serious consequences for their crimes can we hope to deter future crimes.

I am dismayed that Mr al-Werfalli appears to remain in a position of command, and allegedly continues to commit crimes with impunity, despite an official statement from the General Command of the Libyan National Army (“LNA”) in August 2017 that Mr al-Werfalli had been arrested and was under investigation by a military prosecutor. I once again call on General Khalifa Haftar, as commander of the LNA and superior of Mr al-Werfalli, to heed my previous call to the LNA to work with the Libyan authorities to enable the suspect’s immediate arrest and surrender to the ICC.

The appalling cycle of violence and impunity in Libya cannot be allowed to continue for the sake of the Libyan people and the security and stability of the country and the region.

Anyone with information relating to the bombings or the executions mentioned above, please contact the Office of the Prosecutor at the following email address: LBY@icc-cpi.int.

British Ministers Promote “bespoke deal” in Germany

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British Ministers Promote “bespoke deal” in Germany
Philip Hammond, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Picture by EU. Wednesday, 10 January 2018, Berlin, Germany: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond and Brexit Minister, David Davis, have made a direct appeal to German business leaders to aid them forging a Brexit securing the future of Britain’s financial services.  Their visit culminated with an address of the Die Welt Economic Summit, where their appeal was uninhibited for the German economic and political élite, albeit no private meetings were held with any cabinet ministers this time around.  The UK aims at holding negotiations from the position of complete harmonization in the UK, and hence that merely the scope for deviation must be elicited from the talks. They envisage a “bespoke agreement” vis-à-vis the EU.  During the Die Welt summit, Minister Hammond told the audience that the UK would like close economic co-operation with the EU, but might be forced down the path that has been dubbed “the Singapore route”, of low taxes and light regulation, if it was rebuffed. They said they were seeking a bespoke deal with the EU described as “the most ambitious in the world” that should “cover the length and breadth of our economies including the service industries, and financial services”. Their trip comes just weeks after the EU warned that a deal involving the City of London was not on the table as long as the UK insisted on exiting the single market.  Previous to their visit the two ministers co-wrote an article for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, wherein two ministers admitted that the UK cannot have the same relationship it has as a member. Nevertheless, they dispute that access to the Single Market for goods and services requires likewise membership of the Customs Union. Minister Davis, also headed to Munich on Thursday, 11 January, to meet senior industry bosses in an attempt to mobilise German business to lobby for a deal that maintains close economic ties.  For further information: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/chancellor-of-the-exchequer Die Welt Economic Summit: http://www.wirtschaftsgipfel.com/wgd_2018_herausforderung_zukunft/ Her Britannic Majesty’s Embassy to Germany (Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood): https://www.gov.uk/government/people/sebastian-wood      
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