Two cheers for the SDGs

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Two cheers for the SDGs
Pictured Dr Patrick Moriarty.

But … to achieve Goal 6 more urgency is needed in sector reform and systems building.

By Dr Patrick Moriarty, Chief Executive Officer, IRC. A bit over a year ago I wrote a blog welcoming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and particularly Goal 6 promising universal access to Water and Sanitation by 2030. I’ve actually written several blogs welcoming the SDGs – the SDGs are, I believe, a GOOD THING. In that particular blog, I emphasised the urgency of action. It was called 15 years to make change, 5 years to make history, and emphasised the need to make real and radical progress in the then five (now four) first years of the SDG period. Why? Because, if we are to have a chance of achieving the monumental goal of everyone in the world having access to water and sanitation services then we need to do our groundwork now. Glass half full So, where are we now? Glass half full first: the SDGs were much more widely owned and better launched than the Millennium Development Goals that preceded them. People are aware of 2030 as a deadline, and in the WASH sector there is a real sense of urgency around getting to grips with Goal 6. It’s particularly encouraging that the twin pillars of creating strong national systems and greatly increased investment are both increasingly recognised – at least in policy discussions. Glass half empty From the glass half empty perspective, and the reason for two rather than three cheers, despite more money and stronger systems being things that we talk about, there’s not yet much evidence that we’re actually doing all that much about them. As a sector I’m worried that we risk missing a fundamental point. Building strong national systems (competent regulators, strong water and sanitation authorities, effective monitoring systems) isn’t a nice to have addition to the real work of building more infrastructure. It’s the essential foundation for that infrastructure to effectively deliver services. It’s also, as it happens, an essential precursor to getting more money into the sector. Private and public money needed It’s become something of a truism to say that only private money will solve the sector’s financing gap. And while I could quibble about how true this really is, there is no doubt that private money is part of the solution. But here’s the thing, private money for the sort of long term investments (20 years or more) needed to develop water and sanitation infrastructure goes to places where there is low risk and steady (if not spectacular) returns. And to generate these returns calls for – strong systems and the implicit or explicit commitment that government stands behind the guarantees made to investors. In April, Ministers of Water and Sanitation from around the world joined their Finance colleagues at the World Banks “Spring Meetings” in Washington DC. Our message to the Ministers attending the meetings: that if you want to pull in private money to fund capital investments, you need to make sure you are investing public money in the systems needed to make those investments a good bet. And that those investments, in urgent programmes of sector reform and systems building, need to be made immediately if we are to have any chance of achieving the SDGs. —— About IRC IRC is an international think-and-do tank that works with governments, NGOs, entrepreneurs and people around the world to find long-term solutions to the global crisis in water, sanitation and hygiene services. At the heart of its mission is the aim to move from short-term interventions to sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene services. With over 45 years of experience, IRC runs projects in more than 25 countries and large-scale programmes in seven focus countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is supported by a team of over 80 staff across the world. For more information please visit http://www.ircwash.org

The Hague and the Urban Agenda for the EU

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The Hague and the Urban Agenda for the EU
By Jhr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland LL.M. The European Union is one of the most urbanised areas in the world. Today, more than 70% of Europe’s citizens lives in an Urban Area. At present, 73% of all jobs and 80% of all people aged 25-64 with a tertiary education are based in European cities, towns and suburbs. Urban Areas are also places where challenges such as segregation, unemployment and poverty are concentrated. The development of Urban Areas will have a major impact on the future sustainable development (economic, environmental and social) of the EU and its citizens. On 30 May 2016, in Amsterdam, upon the invitation by the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers responsable for Urban Matters and several international organizations involved was held. It led to the establishing of the ‘Pact of Amsterdam’, the Urban Agenda for the EU. It strives to involve Urban Authorities in achieving Better Regulation, Better Funding and Better Knowledge (knowledge base and exchange). The Ministers agreed that, taking into account the priorities of the EU 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, the initial list of twelve Priority Themes (in no particular order) for the Urban Agenda for the EU is as follows: (1) inclusion of migrants and refugees, (2) air quality, (3) urban poverty, (4) housing, (5) circulair economy,(6) jobs and skills of the local economy, (7) climate adaption (including green infrastructure solutions), (8) energy transition, (9) sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions, (10) urban mobility, (11) digital transition and (12) innovative and responsabele public procurement. All cities involved participate in one of the abovementioned themes. The Hague is one of the four Dutch cities involved (the others are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht). The City of The Hague is participant in the important group that works on the Priority Theme Circular Economy. The objective is to increase the re-use, repair, refurbishment and recycling of existing materials and products to promote new growth and job opportunities. For instance, additional measures to increase resource productivity by 30% by 2030 could boost GPD by nearly 1%, while creating 2 million additional jobs. The focus will be on: waste management (turn a waste into a resource), sharing economy and resource efficiency. ————– About the author: Jhr. Alexander W. Beelaerts van Blokland LL.M. is Justice (Judge) in the (Dutch) Court of Appeal and Special Advisor International Affairs appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague. a.beelaerts@planet.nl  

From Paris to Vienna?

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From Paris to Vienna?
By Barend ter Haar. The Paris Agreement that entered into force on 4 November 2016 is an important step in the direction of limiting the rise of global temperatures to 1.5oC, but not more than a step. To make it happen, countries will have to do more than they have pledged to do so far. The global stocktake that will take place every five years, will not suffice to make them do that. Major efforts will be needed to stimulate governments to increase their commitments, to help them to implement them and to prevent free-riding. Part of this will have to be done at a global level, but for practical reasons, what can be done at the regional level, should be done at the regional level. Maybe some new institutions will have to be set up for that purpose, but where possible use should be made of existing institutions. An organisation that seems well equipped to play a more active role in this field is the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE recognizes the close connection between environmental issues and security and has therefore set up a framework for discussing economic and environmental issues, consisting of three forums: an annual Economic and Environmental Forum, a yearly Implementation Meeting “to assess progress to assess the implementation of economic and environmental commitments by the OSCE participating States and to identify priorities for future work” and the monthly Economic and Environmental Committee, a subsidiary body of the Permanent Council of the OSCE. In addition the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) supports a wide range of environmental projects and activities, mainly in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. These projects concern inter alia sustainable use of water, energy security, disaster reduction, climate change and management of hazardous waste. Furthermore a network of 60 Aarhus Centers in 14 OSCE participating States addresses environmental issues, inter alia by promoting public participation in environmental decision-making. All this is done in close cooperation with the development and environment programmes of the UN (UNDP and UNEP), the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC). The OSCE is therefore well positioned to take up a larger role in the environmental field. That is not to say that it will be easy. Environmental threats are quite different from military threats and often require different approaches. This will require intellectual flexibility from delegations, capitals and secretariat. However, these difficulties are peanuts in comparison to the challenges posed by climate change.  

The Czech Republic – the past and the present

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The Czech Republic – the past and the present
By H.E. Ms. Jana Reiniơová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Czech Republic has a long history during which the alternation of good and bad times was symptomatic. Not going into details, let us demonstrate it on reminding us of some of the periods connected with the anniversaries we have been recently or are to be commemorated. Last year we celebrated the 700 years anniversary of the birth of Charles IV. (1316 – 1378, the son of Jan of Luxembourg and Eliơka Pƙemyslovna, descendant of the Czech royal family), the Czech King and Roman Emperor, who was one of the most important monarchs in the medieval times. He consolidated the Czech lands, which had been known as the “Czech crown” since then. The country flourished during the Charles IV. Reign – he established in Prague the oldest university in Central Europe, today known as the Charles University, he built the large New Town of Prague, the Charles Bridge, number of castles, the Karlơtejn being the most famous of them. He also achieved the significant territorial expansion of the Czech State. Let us jump over few centuries and let us look to the so called Age of Dark – starting after the battle on the White Mountain (near Prague) in 1620, which was the battle of the Thirty Years War and in which the army of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. Styria and the German army of the Catholic League clashed the Czech estates. The battle sealed the fate of the Bohemian Revolt and for the next 300 years influenced the destiny of the country. Jan Amos Comenius (1592 – 1670), the last bishop of the Unity of Brethren and one of the greatest Czech thinkers, philosophers and writers, was one of the persecuted victims as to his protestant confession. Among other things, he is recognized as the “teacher of nations” due to creation of new methods of education based on didactics and as the founder of modern pedagogy. He also devoted a great attention to peaceful relations among the nations. Comenius could not stay in Bohemia and so became a refugee and after living in Poland, Hungary, visits to England or Sweden he spent the last 14 years of his life in Amsterdam where he could live and work in peace. He is buried in Naarden (at present a part of Gooise Meren) where there is Comenius Museum and Mausoleum, the 80-th anniversary of which we will celebrate on 8 May this year. There was another favourable period for the Czech nation between the First and Second World Wars. During the World War I the idea to create a new state – Czechoslovakia – after the dissolution of the Austria-Hungary Monarchy – was elaborated in detail by Tomáơ Garique Masaryk (1850 – 1937), the Czech professor, philosopher and politician, later on the first Czechoslovak President, and his collaboraters, the most important of which was Milan Rastislav Ơtefánik, the Slovak politician, French Army General and also astronomer, who is being considered as co-founder of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. The monument of T.G. Masaryk, reminding the role of the Netherlands in this process, can be found at Geldersekade in Rotterdam. Nearby, in the hotel Weimar (bombed down during the World War II), T. G. Masaryk held secret meetings with the British historian and publicist Robert W. Seton-Watson who helped to disseminate the Memorandum outlining the contours of a future new state among the European politicians. This year, it will be 80 years anniversary of the Masaryk®s death. During his presidency Czechoslovakia was well developed country with competitive industry. The Second World War and the communist putsch in 1948 got Czechoslovakia into the period of oppression and unfreedom with economic slowdown. This year we commemorate 40 years since Charta 77 had been created as an informal civic society initiative with the goal to point out on the lack of democracy, respect for human and civil rights. Through this initiative whose documents were published abroad or in a form of samizdat people not only in Czechoslovakia could learn more about the communist regime of the country. The spokesmen, signatories and supporters of Charta 77 (and not only them, all people who were actively fighting against the regime) were persecuted, often put in jail, their property was being confiscated, they were forced to leave the country, lost their jobs etc. To name some of its leading personalities we can mention first and utmost Václav Havel, later on the first Czechoslovak and Czech president (the Havel®s bench, designed by Boƙek Ơípek, the Czech architect and glass designer who also spent part of his life in the Netherlands, can be found at Lange Voorhout in the Hague), other well known persons were e.g. prof. Jan Patočka, Pavel Kohout, Petr Uhl or Ludvík Vaculík. In those times the support from free democratic countries was highly appreciated. In this respect we can point out the meeting of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Max van der Stoel with the so called dissidents in Prague in 1997 during his official visit to Czechoslovakia. To the memory of this Dutch politician and the events of 1997 the Monument of Max van der Stoel was unveiled in Prague on 1 March this year. Even few years earlier the park where the monument is situated was named after him as well. The year 1989 and the velvet revolution brought new light into the lives of Czech and Slovak people. Despite of the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in the end of 1992 there are now two free countries where the way of living, economy, culture, international relations etc. have been restored to “normal”. At present, the Czech Republic, member of NATO, EU and many other international organizations, is a country firmly anchored in Europe. The respect for human and civil rights is back, its economy is on a good track, it provides favourable conditions for investments, economic cooperation, trade, culture, tourism etc. The GDP growth was 4,3 % in 2015 and 2,3 % in 2016, the unemployment rate is 4,8 % at present. For illustration some figures from the bilateral trade with the Netherlands. The trade exchange volume reached nearly 8 billion euro in 2016. The Czech exports grow faster than the Dutch ones – by almost 10% a year, so we keep the positive trade balance in the range of 500 million euro. The total trade turnover makes the Netherlands the top 9th trading partner of the Czech Republic (and the 7th in import ranking). If comparing economic flows in services (balance almost of 200 million euro for the Netherlands) and the capital flows (already balance more than 10 billion euro for the “Dutch” investors in 2016) the figures are in favour of the Netherlands.
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Photography by the Embassy of the Czech Republic​ in The Hague.

Optimism in Viet Nam and the Netherlands relationship

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Optimism in Viet Nam and the Netherlands relationship
Pictured Ambassador Ngo Thi Hoa on the day she presented the Letter of Credence to the King of the Netherlands. By H.E. Ngo Thi Hoa, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Viet Nam and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1973. After 1975, the Netherlands opened their embassy in 1976. Viet Nam opened its Embassy in the Netherlands in 1998. The cooperation between the two sides therefore gained momentum. Over the past 44 years, Viet Nam – the Netherlands relationship has recorded remarkable achievements. In terms of political relations, the two sides have regularly exchanged delegations at all levels, especially at the highest level. Prime Minister Wim Kok visited Viet Nam in 1995 and Prime Minister Phan Van Khai visited the Netherlands in 2001. From Viet Nam to the Netherlands, there were the visits by:
  • Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung in 9-10/2011
  • Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai in 11/2012
  • Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague in 3/2014
  • Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu 6/2014
  • Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai 9/2014
There were similar visits to Viet Nam paid by:
  • Crown Prince Willem Alexander in 10/2005
  • Prince Willem Alexander and Princess MĂĄxima in 3/2011
  • Prime Minister Mark Rutte in 6/2014
The close political relations have laid a firm foundation for cooperation in all other fields, with the conclusion of numerous significant bilateral agreements, namely, the Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection (1994), the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation (1995), the Framework Agreement on Development Cooperation (2000), the MOU for defense cooperation  (2011). In recent years, the Strategic Partnership for Climate Change and Water Management (2010) and the Strategic Partnership for Development on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (2014) were signed, ushering the relations into a new era of strategic and sectoral cooperation. These agreements serve as an impetus for bilateral cooperation development in all fields. About trade, in 2016, the Netherlands is Viet Nam’s largest trading partner in the EU. Vietnamese goods such as textiles, footwear, seafood, agro-products, etc. are imported to the Netherlands. The main imports from the Netherlands are milk and dairy products, pharmaceuticals, raw materials, iron and steel, plastic materials, animal feed… Trade turnover between Viet Nam and the Netherlands 2009-2016. Unit: billions of dollars.
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1.75 1.96 2.81 3.182 3.615 4.32 5.453 6.68
  In terms of investment, the Netherlands ranked 14/88 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam (2015). In 2016, Dutch investment in Viet Nam reached $ 7.61 billion and the Netherlands was the top European investor in Viet Nam. Trademarks and brands of the Dutch famous corporations have already been popular in Viet Nam, such as Philips, Heineken, Unilever and Shell … In term of development cooperation after the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1973, the Netherlands began providing non-refundable ODA to Viet Nam, mainly in humanitarian, education-training and health areas. At present, Viet Nam is classified as a middle-income country and no longer among the 30 priority countries for Dutch aid. However, the Netherlands continues to provide ODA to Viet Nam as an equal partner for mutual development. About climate change adaption and water management, implementing the Strategic Partnerships in Climate Change Adaptation and Management, the two sides held 05 intergovernmental committee meetings (IC) to discuss cooperation on climate, resources and environment issues, especially the Mekong Delta project (launched in 2013). The 6th IC will be held this month in the Hague on 20 April 2017 and co-chaired by Viet Nam Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dzung. Regarding the Strategic Partnership on Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, the two sides identify the areas of cooperation including farming, animal husbandry, veterinary, smart agriculture, and science. In other fields, such as defense cooperation, the two sides have concluded military shipbuilding contracts. In education and training, the Netherlands and Viet Nam have cooperation in higher education. Many universities and research institutions in Viet Nam have established close collaborative research and training partnerships with Dutch partners. From 2006 to present, there are approximately 1000 Vietnamese students studying in the Netherlands, or an average of 170 students/year in which bachelor degree accounts for 46.3%, master degree  28.5%, and PhD 14%. Over the years, the Vietnamese community in the Netherlands has been growing with about 19,000 people, serving as a bridge connecting the two countries. At present, the two countries share many similarities in terms of natural and geographical conditions, having rivers and long coastlines with advantages for agricultural development, marine economic development and international trade. The Netherlands is the world major trading powerhouse, especially in agricultural export, is the giant in water conservation, fishery and modern agriculture. Viet Nam is at the gateway of Southeast Asia, the Netherlands is an entrance to Western European. The people of Viet Nam and the Dutch people are strong, vibrant, innovative and creative. Given current challenges posed by climate change, sea level rise, regional and global security issues, the two countries have new opportunities to work together on regional and international forums. The Netherlands always considers Viet Nam a priority partner. The policy of promoting cooperation with the Netherlands has always been highly supported by the State, Government and localities and Vietnamese enterprises. Given these opportunities and the firm foundation of long-lasting cooperation, both Viet Nam and the Netherland are optimistic about the future development of the bilateral relations./.

Island Sustainability in a Changing World

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Island Sustainability in a Changing World
By H.E. Ngedikes “Olai” Uludong, Ambassador of Palau to the United Nations and the  European Union. Koror, Republic of Palau — There are exciting new opportunities to accelerate economic and social progress on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It is time for our Pacific nations to seize them. In September 2014, Samoa invited the world to their beautiful country to discuss the future of SIDS. It had become well recognized by the international community that SIDS face unprecedented challenges from globalization, climate change, and ocean degradation. At the Third International Conference on SIDS in Samoa, we were able to chart a way forward. The resulting SAMOA Pathway, a 30-page document representing the consensus of all 193 members of the United Nations, provides a framework for addressing the Pacific region’s most urgent problems. As stated in its Preamble, “We recognize SIDS’s ownership and leadership in overcoming some of these challenges but stress that in the absence of international cooperation, success will remain difficult.” This achievement was the first milestone during 18 months that will be remembered as one of the most productive periods of multilateralism in history. 2015 saw the adoption of new agreements on development finance (the Addis Ababa Action Agenda), disaster risk reduction (the Sendai Framework), and climate change (the Paris Agreement). However, the crowning achievement is perhaps the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which declares the intention of the global community to achieve 17 sustainable development goals to put us and our children on a path to a better future. Together, these agreements are transforming the way the United Nations and its specialized agencies work. They are also a primary influence on the funding priorities of our funding partners and multilateral development banks. And over the course of many long and contentious negotiations, negotiators from our Pacific nations made sure that our interests were protected throughout. The challenge now is implementation. In other words, we must make sure that these words on paper translate into concrete resources and action on the ground in our countries. This work has already begun. The next big international opportunity to accelerate progress will be at the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in June. One of our biggest achievements in the aforementioned negotiations was winning a dedicated ocean goal to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources” – SDG14. The UN Ocean Conference will be a veritable “Who’s Who” of international stakeholders engaged in oceans governance, conservation, business, and investment – all ready to work together to achieve SDG14. It is expected that many new partnerships will be launched. Pacific SIDS are leaders in this area. Often referred to as “Large Ocean States,” we are stewards of one of the greatest natural treasures in the world – the Pacific Ocean – and we take that responsibility seriously. We have all made significant contributions nationally and regionally to the cause of improving global ocean health. My country’s contribution to the achievement of SDG14 is the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, which covers our entire Exclusive Economic Zone. An ambitious 80 percent is designated as a no-take zone, with the remaining 20 percent reserved strictly for domestic needs. Palau has taken this extraordinary step not only for environmental reasons, but through the benefits to our ocean biodiversity – the spill over benefits for regional fish stocks – will be significant. The Sanctuary was also driven by some very hard-nosed economic concerns. As President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., likes to say, “The environment is our economy, our economy is our environment.” It is no coincidence that Palau is one of the most popular destinations for scuba divers and eco-tourists. Palau’s approach to advancing the dual elements of SDG14 – conservation and sustainable use – is tailored to our national circumstances. Other countries will need to determine the approach that will best suit their needs. However, we all share a common priority – to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing – purportedly the biggest immediate threat to our Sanctuary, and amounts to nothing less than theft of some of the Pacific Ocean’s most precious resources. This form of piracy in the Pacific tuna fishery has been estimated to steal between $500 million and $750 million every year. We can make significant progress at the Ocean Conference to address IUU fishing. Like many of Pacific SIDS, Palau relies on a small group of officers and even fewer boats to monitor our waters, supplemented by Australia and United States assistance. One long-range and two short-range vessels are responsible for patrolling approximately 650 square kilometers of ocean. The high cost of fuel also limits the time these boats can spend at sea. What do we need? More patrol vessels, more funding, more operational capacity, and more intelligence on ocean traffic. Palau is grateful for the partnerships of the governments of Monaco, Italy, Japan, Republic of China-Taiwan, Australia, United States and many others to include private foundation partnerships such as with the Nippon Foundation/Sasakawa Peace Foundation, which is helping us develop and implement a monitoring and enforcement plan. Other countries and organizations are stepping up as well. Palau has also ratified the Port State Measures Agreement, which will make it much more difficult to bring illegal fish to market, as have many other SIDS. The more nations that participate in the Agreement, the more effective it will be to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. The Agreement entered into force last June, and 42 countries have ratified to date. We encourage every nation to ratify as soon as possible. Palau has the duty to mount effective surveillance and enforcement against illegal fishing in an area of the Pacific the size of France.  It is a daunting task, but one that we are taking very seriously and are pursuing offenders aggressively.  However, the waters of the Pacific are vast.  Like climate change and so many other global problems that we face today, IUU fishing demands a global response. At the UN Ocean Conference, the world can make a strong commitment to end IUU fishing as a key step toward our achievement of SDG14. ——- Ngedikes “Olai” Uludong, is Palau’s ambassador to the United Nations and the  European Union.  Uludong was Climate Change Advisor in environmental policy and management throughout the  Micronesia  and  Pacific region prior to her diplomatic post.  ——- Picture by UN    

New water professionals by IHE Delft

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New water professionals by IHE Delft
On the picture Karin Roelofs, Head, Environment and Water Division from Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs presenting Meredith Tamai from Somoa with her MSc diploma.   On 25 April 2017, IHE Delft (formerly UNESCO-IHE) water professionals from 43 different countries received their MSc diploma during the closing ceremony of the academic period 2015-2017. The graduates are now part of the IHE alumni community that comprises over 15,000 water professionals working and living in more than 160 countries. During the course of 2017 many more students will graduate from joint and double degree programmes. Cortege processing to Oude Kerk, Delft Graduates celebrate after receiving their diplomas. Karin Roelofs, Head, Environment and Water Division from Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs presenting Meredith Tamai from Somoa with her MSc diploma. Funding for MSc and short courses was provided to a number of water professionals from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) countries to improve capacity in the water sector to cope with the effects of climate change.

Hungary’s Blahalouisiana at the Life I Live Festival in The Hague

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Hungary’s Blahalouisiana at the Life I Live Festival in The Hague
Dutch festival goers extended a warm welcome to Blahalouisiana, one of Hungary’s most talented young bands. The band performed at the two-days Life I Live Festival, one of the most popular King’s Day events of the Netherlands attended by hundreds of thousands of visitors. Next to their English songs, Blahalouisiana also made the audience gathered in the center of The Hague dance to hits in Hungarian. After the concert, Ambassador AndrĂĄs Kocsis and cultural attachĂ© DĂĄniel Csonka congratulated Barbara Schoblocher and her bandmates on the great performance.  

‘World of Private Label’ International Trade Show

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‘World of Private Label’ International Trade Show
Hungarian exhibitors at PLMA’s 2017 ‘World of Private Label’ International Trade Show PLMA’s 2017 ‘World of Private Label’ International Trade Show will be held at the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam on 16 and 17 May, and will present over 4300 exhibit stands including nearly 60 national and regional pavilions. 35 prominent Hungarian food and non-food producers will exhibit at the event, in cooperation with the Hungarian governmental agencies MNKH (Hungarian National Trading House) and AMC (Agro-Marketing Centre). Ambassador AndrĂĄs Kocsis and Commercial AttachĂ© Nandor Zemniczky will join the program, visit the Hungarian exhibitors and assists them with launching successful business in the Netherlands. 
Photography by the Embassy of Hungary in The Hague.

Commemorating 20 Years of Global Chemical Weapons Disarmament Efforts of the OPCW

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Commemorating 20 Years of Global Chemical Weapons Disarmament Efforts of the OPCW
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet ÜzĂŒmcĂŒ,  His Majesty the King of the Netherlands and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders. Second Deputy Director-General of OPCW, H.E. Ambassador Mr. Hamid Ali Rao, the OPCW’s Chairperson of the Conference of the States Parties, H.E. Dr Christoph Israng, the Mayor of The Hague, H. E. Mrs Pauline Krikke and Kings Commissioner to the Province of South Holland, Mr Jaap Smit. By Sheila Turabaz. On the 29th of April 1997 the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force and 87 States Parties finally recognized the importance of international cooperation and individual efforts to achieving effective progress towards the utopian view of a world free of chemical weapons. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), serving as the implementing body, was hereby established. Twenty years later the number of States Parties has more than doubled to 192 States Parties, representing 98% of the world population. The OPCW has been contributing to the improvement of international security, stability and peace for two decades and on the occasion of its anniversary, a solemn ceremony took place on the 26th of April in the Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal) in The Hague. The 20th anniversary ceremony served as an occasion for reflection on the organisation’s achievements made over the course of its existence.
Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
The ceremony consisted of a welcome address by OPCW Director-General H.E. Ambassador Mr. Ahmet ÜzĂŒmcĂŒ, a video message by Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres who officially took office this year and reflective speeches by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Bert Koenders, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the new Mayor of the Hague H.E. Mrs. Pauline Krikke and the Chairperson of the Conference of the States Parties, H.E. Dr. Christoph Israng (in chronological order). In between, The Babylon String Quartet – a musical ensemble based in The Hague –, performed musical interludes. Furthermore, the solemn ceremony was highlighted by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and the Director-General. During his welcome address, the Director-General, mentioned the organisation’s achievements and re-expressed its objectives, along with paying tribute to victims of the abuse of chemical weapons throughout the world, past and present. He concluded his welcome address by stating that “The success of the OPCW is owed to the commitment of its Member States which have spared no effort in building an efficient and vibrant multilateral organisation. The progress we have made by working together for a nobel goal shines brightly as a contribution to disarmament and non-proliferation and thereby to global peace and security. This collective endeavor has strengthened humanitarian norms, transformed attitudes and highlighted the possibilities of multilateralism. I have no doubt, that States Parties will continue their efforts to make the Convention a document of enduring validity that is universally respected. I am also confident that they will further strengthen the OPCW to make it forever responsive to the imperatives of peace and security in the world”. Minister Koenders quoted a Canadian soldier in 1919 that described a horrendous scene involving chemical weapons on the battlefield and throughout his speech, Minister Koenders stressed the still existing threat of chemical weapons and the importance of the OPCW in combating chemical weapons abuse. Moreover, he mentioned that objectivity and verifiability is crucial in light of “fake news” threatening to “increase the confusion surrounding suspected chemical attacks”. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden — who is an advocate for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — expressed her personal interest in chemical weapons disarmament and referred to her experience at the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs as a student, calling it an inspiration during her academic education.
Ridderzaal, The Hague.
The Mayor of the Hague Mrs. Krikke acknowledged the significance of the OPCW in The Hague as international city of peace and justice and — while speaking on behalf of the municipality —, (re-) assured the organization of its continued support. Towards the end, the Chairperson of the Conference of the States Parties, Dr. Israng made his way to the lectern and addressed the audience, stating that international cooperation is necessary “to reinforce the absolute taboo of chemical weapons and (
) to fight the evil side and promote the beneficial side of chemistry”. The ceremony was concluded with a screening of a commemorative film about the OPCW and afterwards, guests were invited to attend the reception.
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