Mr Serzh Sargsyan, President of Armenia and President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU.
Monday, 27 February 2017, Brussels: the European Union and the Republic of Armenia finalised a new agreement seeking to deepen political and economic ties between the two entities.
The new agreement comes more than a year after Armenia’s controversial accession to a Russian-led trade bloc. President Serzh Sarkisian unexpectedly signed an agreement back in September 2013 to make Armenia part of the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), in a move that has been widely credited to strong Russian pressure.
The EU-Armenia agreement is likely to be signed in May 2017. Hitherto EU relations with Armenia are governed by the EU -Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1996, and which entered into force in 1999.
Information:
President of Armenia: http://www.president.am/hy/
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Photography by EU
Tuesday, 21 February 2017, Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev appointed his spouse as the First Vice President, that is, the person next in line in the nation’s power hierarchy.
Ilham Aliyev (55) named his wife Mehriban Arif gyzy Aliyeva (52) to the position created after a constitutional referendum in September 2016. Mehriban Aliyeva married her husband when she was 19; she graduated from a medical university. She has served previously as a lawmaker and heads the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
The vice president takes over the country’s presidency if the president is unable to perform their duties, according to the constitution. The latter does not describe the first vice president’s duties, but it’s expected that they will include overseeing the cabinet.
For further information:President of Azerbaijan: http://en.president.azHeydar Aliyev Foundation: http://heydar-aliyev-foundation.org/en/content/index/47/ABOUT-FOUNDATION———Picture by naijahour.com
By Roy Lie A Tjam.
The organizing committee of the Latin American Table made up by Sonia de Meijer (chair) and Mr. Jorge E. Colombo Taricco (vice-chair), invited friends and interested persons to a lecture by Mr. Pieter Groeneveld who is the vice–president Network of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Pieter Groeneveld is also an alumnus of Erasmus University and holds a Master in Business Economics which he obtained in 1995.
For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures, please open the following link:https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157678861444042Mr. Jorge E. Colombo Taricco , Latin American table Vice-Chair and Sonia de Meijer, Honorary Consul of El Salvador and Chair of the Latin American Table at Sociëteit De Witte.
After a short period working in procurement for Royal Dutch Shell, he joined KLM in 1997. His first assignment was to coordinate the introduction of the 6 Wave Hub Systems in AMS. That led to a remarkable career path. He worked as a network planner for Eastern Europe and later for Asia Pacific.
Mr. Pieter Groeneveld, vice–president Network of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Thereafter, he moved to the Cargo division in 2002 as the director of network planning, followed by commercial functions as director cargo for High Tech and Fashion Industries. Pieter returned in 2008 to KLM head offices as vice president for corporate strategy and has since 2010 been responsible for the global network development of KLM.
This lecture was hosted at Nieuwe of Littéraire Sociëteit De Witte on Monday 27 February 2017 under the theme: KLM Network Developments – on Latin America in Particular.
The first part of the lecture was so interactive that Mr. Groeneveld managed to ascertain that his audience knew a lot about the 98 years of the young Dutch blue bird, KLM. The session ended with a raffle to find a winner for a small KLM airplane.
Network planning in a nutshell: 4 important pillars: network portofolio, hub design, partners, fleet. Mr.Groeneveld elaborated on these four pillars.
As for Latin America, KLM Network expansion through the years in Latin America:
KLM and Air France operated directly from Amsterdam and/or Paris
KLM investment in Latin America: 84% more seats in 6 years
The Netherlands a small country but with a large airline and network. With its 17.1 million inhabitants, the Netherlands ranks only 67th based on population(8th in EUR) But with 63.6 million passengers, Schiphol is the 3rd airport in Europe based on passenger traffic …….why than so many passengers in or via Amsterdam? KLM transported 30.4 million passengers on its aircraft in 2016 and they did not all went to see the canals! 73% of KLM’s passengers are on transfer in Amsterdam!
The attendees, including some ambassadors, diplomats, friends and interested persons very much appreciated the informative lecture in which they had an opportunity to pose questions. A dinner party in the main restaurant is what concluded the enlightening evening.
Greek and Spanish law enforcement bodies and judicial authorities, supported by Eurojust and Europol, have dismantled an international criminal network suspected of having smuggled in the current season over 10 tonnes of eels from the European Union to China, with a profit estimated at EUR 10 million.A coordinated operation carried out in Greece and Spain led to 17 arrests. In addition, approximately two tonnes of eels worth EUR 2 million were seized, along with data storage devices, documents, luxury cars and approximately EUR 1 million in cash.The operation was initiated, with Europol support, by investigators from Spain’s Guardia Civil’s Environmental Protection Service, SEPRONA. They discovered that a company based in Spain had been purchasing eels from several Member States. Once the fish were introduced into the legal market, the company was alleged to have delivered them to Greece using false documentation to finally export them illegally to Asia as ‘fresh fish’.The operation was referred to the prosecutor specialised in environmental crimes and international cooperation at the PPO in Tarragona, the file being finally allocated to Investigative Court number 3 in Tortosa. Information was sent to Eurojust and assistance was requested. The Spanish National Desk at Eurojust, with the support of the Environmental Prosecutorial Unit at the General Prosecutor’s Office, coordinated the response at judicial level with delegations from other concerned countries, leading to the organisation of a coordination meeting at Eurojust at the end of January. In Greece, the proceedings were led by the specialised prosecution office for financial crime of Athens.A coordination centre was set up at Eurojust at the beginning of February, with the involvement of the Spanish and Greek National Desks, to provide support to the action day in Spain and Greece.Assistance by the national contact points of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was also sought in view of reintroducing the eels into their natural habitat to the extent possible.
Book, India- EU Fifty years & more of Diplomatic Relations, Ten years plus of Strategic Partnership.
At the chancery of the Indian Missions based in Brussels and accredited to the European Union, the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, HE Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, hosted a reception on Thursday, 26 January, for dignitaries hailing from the European institutions, Belgian and Luxembourgian authorities as well as highly standing members of the Indian community in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Ambassador Pema Choden (Bhutan to the EU, Benelux and Nordic countries) greets Ambassador Singh Puri and spouse.
This year’s reception was unique because India and Belgium are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic ties in 2017. In fact, the only surviving daughter of the first Belgian ambassador to India, the late XI Prince de Ligne, Eugène II (in ambassadorship from 1947 to 1951)was in attendance, namely Dowager Archduchess Carl Ludwig of Austria, Princess Yolande de Ligne.
A photographic exhibition on ” 70 Years of India-Belgium Diplomatic Relations” was displayed during the event; it also included highlights of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Princess Yolande de Ligne, Dowager Archduchess Carl Ludwig of Austria, addressing the guests.
A special edition on ” India – Belgium & Luxembourg: 70 Years of Diplomatic Relations” and “India- EU Fifty years & more of Diplomatic Relations, Ten years plus of Strategic Partnership” were released on the occasion and presented to prominent guests. Soft copies can be downloaded from the embassy’s website.
Chief Guest at the annual parade held in honour of Republic Day in India was HH The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
For further information:
Missions of India to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg (HE Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri): www.indembassy.be
68th Republic Day Parade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHERHyeFY80
XI Prince de Ligne, Ambassador Eugène II de Ligne: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugène,_11th_Prince_of_Ligne
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Pictures by Missions of India in Brussels
KAAN Architecten designs Museum Paleis Het Loo’s renovation and expansion
Following a tendering process, the jury unanimously selected the winning proposal by KAAN Architecten. The design, inspired by the layout and proportions of the Corps de Logis of Paleis Het Loo, incorporates all required facilities and spaces while expressing a grandeur fitting for one of the Netherlands’ most popular and visited museums.
Originally built in 1686 as royal hunting palace, Paleis Het Loo is located on the outskirts of Apeldoorn, in the heart of the country. KAAN Architecten’s project – inspired by changing needs and new ambitions – consists of renovation, renewal and an expansion of more than 5000 sqm of new spaces, such as the House of Orange, the Junior Palace and temporary exhibition hall.
Upon arrival to the palace, visitors will reach the Bassecour where the four grass parterres of the front courtyard will be replaced by four glass surfaces with the exact same measurements. A thin layer of water will flow over the glass – a nod to the fountains and waterworks of the historic gardens. The new glass surfaces will be the only façade of the underground expansion. The entrance pavilions will lead to the light-filled underground entrance area where the ticket and information office, museum shop, and other visitor facilities will be located.
The Grand Foyer will be the beating heart of the underground expansion. It will connect the entrance area to the Palace and provide access to the temporary exhibition area and the House of Orange. To the west of the Grand Foyer, there will be a space for temporary exhibitions with 5-metre high ceilings, consisting of two large and two medium-sized square rooms that are interconnected, while in the west wing, a museum will be developed especially for children: the Junior Palace.
The past and present of the Dutch Royal Family will be intriguingly entwined and housed by the 1245 sqm of the House of Orange in the east wing. Furthermore, the interior layout of the Palace and its forty different royal rooms will be enhanced and given a more logical arrangement to allow visitors to experience different routes and feels.
The renovated and renewed Museum Paleis Het Loo will be completed by 2021.
CREDITS
Location: Koninklijk Park 1, Apeldoorn (NL)
Client: Stichting Paleis Het Loo National Museum
Architect: KAAN Architecten (Kees Kaan, Vincent Panhuysen, Dikkie Scipio)
Project team: Loes Martens, Paolo Faleschini, Niels de Hart, Joost Harteveld, Antony Laurijsen, Nicki van Loon, Marija Mateljan, Floris Sikkel, Niels Vernooij, Sebastian van Damme
Design: 2016-2017
Completion: 2021
GFA: more than 5.000 sqm
Construction advisor: Bartels Ingenieurs voor Bouw & Infra
Restoration advisor: Van Hoogevest Architecten
Installation / W&E advisor: Valstar Simonis, Apeldoorn
Building physics, fire control, acoustics advisor: DGMR Raadgevende Ingenieurs, Arnhem
Light design: Beers Nielsen
Visualisation: The Beauty & the Bit, KAAN Architecten
Arusha, 7 March 2017– The Registrar of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (“Mechanism” or “MICT”) Olufemi Elias on Thursday, 2 March 2017, concluded an official mission to East and West Africa. As part of his visit, Mr. Elias met with officials from the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of Ghana.
Mr. Elias, who was appointed by the UN Secretary-General effective 1 January 2017, addressed a broad range of issues related to the work of the Mechanism and advanced initiatives for cooperation, enforcement of sentences, and particularly, with regard to Rwanda, enhanced collaboration within the framework of the UN Security Council resolution 2256 (2015). In Tanzania, Mr. Elias accompanied the MICT President, Judge Theodor Meron, at a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps, referred to as the “Friends of the MICT”. Mr. Elias also held separate meetingswith the Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Dr. Augustine Mahiga, and other officials from Tanzania. He further met with the heads of other national and international institutions in Arusha.In Rwanda, Mr. Elias met with the Chief Justice of Rwanda, Professor Sam Rugege, and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Rwanda, Hon. Johnston Busingye, as well as a number of other senior officials. The Registrar also visited the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Centre. He concluded his trip to Rwanda with a courtesy visit to the Institute of Legal Practice and Development in Kigali. In Senegal, Mr. Elias met with the Minister of Justice, Hon. Sidiki Kaba, and other senior government officials. He also visited the recently refurbished Sebikotane prison on the outskirts of Dakar. The Registrar concluded his mission with a visit to Ghana, where he held meetings with the Minister of National Security, Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Ghana, Hon. Gloria Akuffo, the Minister of the Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery and the National Security Coordinator.Mr. Elias welcomed the willingness expressed throughout the mission to cooperate with the MICT in carrying out its mandate.
On the picture H.E. Philippe Couvreur, Registrar at the International Court of Justice, last year during the 6th Ibero-American Week of International Justice.
The I Polyphonic Day of International Justice that will take place on 7 June 2017 (starting at 11h00) at the Aula of the Hague University for Applied Sciences (Johanna Westerdijkplein 75.
The event is organised by the Ibero-American Institute of The Hague, in cooperation with Hague University for Applied Sciences, the Hague Peace and Justice Programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands, the Chinese Initiative for International Law, the African Foundation for International Law, the Center for International and Comparative Law of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Iranian Center for International Criminal Law, the ICC Coalition, the Hague Academic Coalition and Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
Speakers are coming from Arab countries, China, Iran, Russia, Africa and Ibero-America to talk about different international law issues.
Participation in the Programme is for free. Registration: inscripcionesiih@gmail.com
Mayor Jozias van Aartsen.By Roy Lie A Tjam.
Departing Mayor of The Hague Jozias van Aartsen hosted an exclusive reception to take leave of the Corps Diplomatique in The Hague on 20 February. In attendance were the ambassadors of Costa Rica, India, Chile, Georgia, Peru, Belgium, Morocco, Bolivia, Germany, Lebanon, Czech Republic, and Bosnia & Herzegovina among others, along with representatives of the international courts and institutions, and staff from the Dutch Royal Court.
For additional Hester Dijsktra’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157679465281980The Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr Bert Koenders.
The venue was chosen with care; Gemeente Museum The Hague, where a unique exposition of works by Piet Mondriaan and Bert van der Leck was on display.
The first to speak at the reception was Benno Tempel, director of the Gemeente Museum. He thanked Mayor van Aartsen for his unstinting support, advice and close cooperation on matters pertaining to the Gemeente Museum.
Linda Divon, Mayor Jozias van Aartsen and spouse and former Israeli Ambassador to the Netherlands, Hain Divon.
The placing of the transparent glass ceiling and the relocation of the Escher collection are tangible proof of this, he explained. Mr. Tempel and artist Omar Muni offered the Mayor a leather bag personally designed by Mr. Muni.
Ab van der Touw, CEO of Siemens Nederland, was next in line to address Mayor van Aartsen and his guests. Mr. Van der Touw, a personal friend of Mr. van Aartsen, briefly referred to the latter’s stint as Minister of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs. I know you as a person who has always been impartial, he told the Mayor.
The Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. H.E. Eduardo Rodriguez Veltze and Judge Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, President of the International Criminal Court.
Such an active person should and could not disappear from the scene. Mr van der Touw, in his animated presentation, included some remarks in the local vernacular (Haagenaars and Hagenezen) that was well received by the Hagenaars, Hagenezen and others in the audience.
A magnificent musical intermezzo on piano and trumpet of ‘The Prince of Denmark’s March’, performed by two students from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, added luster to the program.
Mayor van Artsen was also congratulated by Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on behalf of the Dutch government.
A somewhat moved Jozias van Aartsen remarked that he simply did his job, and he did it with pleasure.
Mayor van Aartsen then addressed the hundreds who had come to bid him farewell. He told the guests:
“That we should meet each other precisely at this spot is something which gives me great pleasure, and for various reasons. Because not only is this a beautiful building, but it also houses an impressive collection as Benno Tempel already noted, the biggest Mondrian collection in the world.”Counsellor/Economic & Trade , Embassy of the Republic of Kenya, Rose Sumbeiywo and Roy Lie A Tjam, from Diplomat Magazine.“The Gemeente museum airs, in my view, the liberalism in the philosophical sense of the word, the sense of community and tolerance, in line with the thinking of the architect of this museum, Hendrik Berlage, a famous Dutch architect and urban planner. An individual who in the early decades of the twentieth century to a large degree also helped shape The Hague as a city. He was a visionary, as demonstrated by his plan for a ‘world capital’ as a place that would house international organizations.”“The Gemeente museum narrowly escaped destruction during the Second World War when this part of The Hague was largely torn down to make way for German fortifications. There is something of an ironic symbolism in the fact that the International Zone, with its OPCW, ICTY, Europol, Eurojust, and this museum, are now all situated precisely within that area. From a city at war to a city of peace. In the period immediately after 1945, and again after the fall of the Berlin Wall, international cooperation really began to take shape, which was also reflected in the development of our international city of peace and justice.”“It was here in The Hague, too, that the unification of Europe began in 1948 – all driven by the bitter experience of two world wars fueled by nationalism and delusions of grandeur. Never again, was the slogan of the day. A new world at peace; that was the goal. The founders of ‘De Stijl’, the centenary of which we are celebrating with this exhibition, created a new art for a new a new world. The world in which art and life would come together.”The musical intermezzo ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ by the Brass Ensemble of the Marine Band concluded the formal part of the reception.
Guests enjoyed the ongoing exhibition entitled 100 Years of De Stijl, showcasing the largest Piet Mondriaan collection in the world, and many works of his contemporary Bart van der Leck.
The Young entrepreneurs looking to do business with Africa can join in with a new initiative: Making Africa Work. This year, some 40 entrepreneurs from the Netherlands will be given the opportunity to obtain support in establishing a business in Africa.
The assistance offered to them in finding local partners and developing their business plan is expected to help them achieve a faster and better business launch. The project also hopes to boost employment opportunities in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. After all, the best guarantee for new jobs and local growth is new business. Entrepreneurs wishing to set up or expand their business in these countries, can get in touch with PUM and Africa in Motion, starting today.
Making Africa Work is aimed both at African migrants and students wishing to start up a business in their country of origin, and Dutch entrepreneurs who see Africa as a growth market, and are looking for partners. “Matching migrants and Dutch businesses with promising African companies, is a modern form of essential development aid. By offering coaching, combining market research and drawing up sound business plans, the programme will promote employment as well as business opportunities in Africa,” explained Johan van de Gronden, CEO of PUM Netherlands senior experts. Making Africa Work is a one-year pilot project based on experience accrued by Africa in Motion, which in the past matched a.o. a Rwandan migrant and a Dutch dairy farmer, who have since established a successful collaborative venture in Rwanda.
Africa as a growth market
Every year, the numbers of young people joining the labour market outstrip the number of jobs available. As a result, unemployment is growing; a development that promotes migration. One way of reducing this migratory pressure is to encourage entrepreneurship, since new businesses generate new jobs. Dutch companies can make a contribution, because Africa is an attractive growth market with huge potential. In the expansion phase of their business, however, it is unfortunately often difficult for entrepreneurs to make the shift to the African continent. Making Africa Work can help them, with its local contacts and expertise.
Matching businesses here and there
Making Africa Work is a programme implemented by PUM Netherlands senior experts (PUM) and Africa in Motion (AIM) and financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The one-year programme will be operated in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. By appealing to existing partners in the Netherlands and in the region, the aim is to have established forty matches between entrepreneurs here and in the target countries by the end of the year, with a business plan for each successful match, backed up by market research and feasibility studies.
Registration
Entrepreneurs wishing to elaborate their ideas into business plans and looking for local partners can register via www.makingafricawork.orgAbout PUM Netherlands senior experts (www.pum.nl)
PUM is Europe’s largest ‘employment agency’ for professional volunteers who wish to share their commercial knowledge and experience with entrepreneurs in developing countries. PUM was established in 1978 by employers’ organisation VNO-NCW, based on the vision that entrepreneurship is the driving force for sustainable development.
The organisation has been active for decades in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, and has an extensive network of local partners in those countries, including incubators, Chambers of Commerce and industry associations, all of whom will be mobilised for making Making Africa Work. PUM will also involve its Dutch network of entrepreneurs in implementing this programme, and deploy senior experts as project coaches.
About Africa in Motion (www.africainmotion.nl)
AIM is an initiative by African migrants in the Netherlands. Since 2010, AIM has aimed to increase the impact of African diaspora on sustainable economic growth in their countries of origin. In 2015, AIM facilitated a series of matches between Rwandan students and Dutch entrepreneurs, that have led to combined business activities in Rwanda. AIM will be providing coaches for Making Africa Work, and mobilising its network of diaspora organisations.
The Netherlands a small country but with a large airline and network. With its 17.1 million inhabitants, the Netherlands ranks only 67th based on population(8th in EUR) But with 63.6 million passengers, Schiphol is the 3rd airport in Europe based on passenger traffic …….why than so many passengers in or via Amsterdam? KLM transported 30.4 million passengers on its aircraft in 2016 and they did not all went to see the canals! 73% of KLM’s passengers are on transfer in Amsterdam!
The attendees, including some ambassadors, diplomats, friends and interested persons very much appreciated the informative lecture in which they had an opportunity to pose questions. A dinner party in the main restaurant is what concluded the enlightening evening. 
The musical intermezzo ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ by the Brass Ensemble of the Marine Band concluded the formal part of the reception.
Guests enjoyed the ongoing exhibition entitled 100 Years of De Stijl, showcasing the largest Piet Mondriaan collection in the world, and many works of his contemporary Bart van der Leck.
