Pictured at the OPCW Headquarters in The Hague, Canadian Minister, the Honourable Stéphane Dion and OPCW Director General, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü.

The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, met today with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, at OPCW Headquarters in The Hague.

The Director-General updated the Minister of Foreign Affairs on his recent high-level consultations with the Syrian Arab Republic. Ambassador Üzümcü then briefed him on the OPCW’s work with its member states to address the threat of use of chemical weapons by non-state actors as well as on the future priorities of the Organisation. Ambassador Üzümcü conveyed his deep gratitude to Canada for its generous contributions in recent years towards the OPCW’s work in Syria and Libya, totalling almost €17 million. This amount includes €2.5 million for the OPCW’s Trust Fund for Syria Missions and €1.8 million for the OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism’s efforts to determine accountability for chemical weapons use in Syria. Both contributions were announced in February 2016. “Canada’s steadfast support for the OPCW’s mission has made the world a much safer and secure place. Today, we have reaffirmed our resolve to jointly meet future challenges, as only concerted action can bring effective solutions,” said the Director-General. Minister Dion remarked, “The OPCW is an integral part of the global disarmament architecture. Recent chemical weapons use in Syria and Iraq demonstrates that the Organisation’s mission is as vital and pressing as ever. Canada is proud to support the OPCW’s untiring efforts to rid the world of this inhumane class of weaponry.” For more details:

• Canada’s contribution to support OPCW work in Syria
• UN Security Council Resolution 2235 Establishing JointInvestigative Mechanism

Mgr. Giacinto Berloco, Apostolic Nuncio and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps to the Kingdom of Belgium, with (from left to right) Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Ambassador of Namibia, Mrs. Latungika Loide Shikwambi, First Secretary at the Namibian Embassy, and Mr. Andre Apollus, Counsellor Agriculture of the Namibian Embassy. The Embassy of the Republic of Namibia in Brussels celebrated the 26th anniversary of the Independence of Namibia. H.E. Dr. Kaire Mbuende, Ambassador of Namibia, organized a reception at the ACP House in Brussels on Friday 18 March 2016 to mark this occasion.

For the photo-album of this event, please click the link below: 
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNBvZB75MTxufnTCB9QMH9OqGxzgzGgk
5Nlm8trC6QxIC-U0uBWdkjB4HnXDfnYpA?key=WXdwQXNjMV9Tb3dhVWZnNk5PS1RFcU5WcC1xdXpR

 

The occasion was graced by ambassadors, diplomats, the Secretary-General of the ACP Group of States, Namibian Members of Parliament, the honorary consuls of Namibia in the Netherlands, civil servants from Belgium and the EU, business people and members of the diaspora. Ambassador Mbuende delivered a statement in which he characterized the event as representing not only the commemoration of the lowering of the South African apartheid flag and the hoisting of the Namibian national flag but above all as a celebration of 26 years of democracy, peace and stability and sustained economic growth. The ambassador drew the attention of the gathering to the Harambee Prosperity Plan which was then soon to be unveiled by the President of Namibia, Dr. Hage Geingob. The Harambee Prosperity Plan “aims to address income inequality by declaring an all-out war on the scourge of poverty.  It is based on five pillars, social development; economic development; infrastructures development; and effective governance; service delivery; and international relations and cooperation. A number of critical success factors have been identified for each of the pillars. The Plan will complement our National Development Plans and Vision 2030, thus recognizing and building on previous successes and achievements but attempting to expedite the significant reduction in poverty levels, reducing inequalities and uplifting the living standards of all Namibians. In the short term, the plan will offer immediate relief to the vulnerable groups and in the long run it will set precedent for innovative government intervention for effective service delivery.”

The Ambassador also spoke about the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the EU, which are in the meantime signed. “The Agreement offers us Duty Free and Quota Free access to the EU market on essentially all our products.  The market access granted provides an excellent opportunity for our exporters to take full advantage of the window of opportunities provided by the preferential terms in the Agreement. In our view this provides predictable and transparent rules for trade, and consequently confidence for investors. The challenge for us is to address the various supply side constraints. We hope that the development cooperation framework will have ample scope to support us overcome the supply side constraint and help transform the structure of our economy to be integrated in the global market place on a competitive basis. This should result in greater local value addition to goods for national, regional and international markets, in ways which generate increased employment and enhance livelihood opportunities for our country and all its people. On the future of the ACP-EU Relations Post-2020, we believe that the EU will continue to be an important partner of Namibia and ACP at large in many areas. In the same vein, we foresee a role by a well-resourced and focused ACP as a group of countries working together in solidarity, capable of defending and promoting the interest of its members in a dynamic global environment. The event crowned with the profiling of Namibian cuisines, drinks, music and dance. The success of the cultural program would not have been possible without the generous donations of beer, fish and meat, from the Namibian Breweries, Hangana Seafood and GPS Food Group respectively.” For more information: Mission of Namibia to the EU, the OPCW, the ACP Group, Embassy to the Benelux countries (HE Ambassador Dr. Kaire Mbuende): http://www.namibiaembassy.be

Colombia Embassy Dazzles on its National Day Celebration at Diligentia Theatre in The Hague. On the picture H. E. Juan José Quintana and spouse, Maria Rosario Navia.   By Viviana Knorr. On Wednesday, 20 July at 7 p. m., H. E. Juan José Quintana, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to the Netherlands and Maria Rosario Navia transformed Diligentia Theatre in The Hague, into an intimate setting for Colombian Jazz to celebrate their national day. Ambassador Quintana remarked in his welcoming speech the importance of this year’s celebration as the country is about to end its war against FARC, “Something many Colombians for five generations are really looking forward to end.” For additional Kim Vermaat’s pictures, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157668583554294

The concert’s program directed by Juan García-Herreros with the performance of his Colombian Jazz ensemble explored for the first time in the Netherlands, their own new arrangements transforming the evening into an original one surrounded by a distinguished audience as the Ambassadors from Mexico, Peru,  Chile, Ukraine, El Salvador, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Costa Rica and many others.

The ensemble opened up with a colourful lively performance called “Pequeña Samba” by García-Herreros. The following piece “Amo” by  Juan José Quintana, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia literally breathed life and sentiment. Through the entire performance the musicians gave an outstanding show capturing the audience emotion as each musician played with an almost tangible energy transmitting it to the spectators.

The next pieces were a mixed of mellow slower tempos with unique rhythmic variations. A highlight of the evening was the mini-duet between the bass and drums yet all musicians made creative use of each instrument playing as one. In the piece, “Balada para mis hijas,” García-Herreros flexed his own playing abilities where listeners could be seen enjoying the rhythms. The voice, flute, and organist also gave an impressive solo each one. The audience was surprised with a far from smooth transition into the “Colombian National Anthem” to wrap up the show as it opened with a flawless performance by Juan García-Herreros and his bass teasing the audience with quick changes in tempo and rhythm, repeatedly speeding up, and then slowing only to give the anthem rhythm. Truly an exciting performance. Overall the celebration was full of sentiment, colourful, and musical, but that should be expected in a Colombian National Day. A finger food reception followed the show.

   

Australian Hammond virtuoso Lachy Doley & Irish pop duo Hudson Taylor are the first names to be announced. Diplomat Magazine is proud to announce that on Saturday September 3rd 2016, the fourth edition of the freely accessible Embassy Festival will take place at the Lange Voorhout in The Hague. The Embassy Festival offers visitors a journey through more than 25 different countries in only one day. Take a walk from Peru to Pakistan, cross over to Vietnam and walk around the corner to visit Kenya. The participating embassies will fill a pavilion with typical products from their countries, showcasing traditional dances or contributing to the musical program, on one of the two outdoor stages. At the Embassy Festival, you will come across a multitude of cultures. You will get a chance to witness performances by international talent you won’t want to miss. A variety of sensational acts, both modern and classic, will make a visit to the Embassy Festival, making it worthwhile for all music lovers. There are acts that have played at the Embassy festival, that are now thriving on big stages.

Last year, the formation Con Brio from San Francisco played an impressive set at the Embassy Festival. It was only last weekend that they received great reviews from their performance at the renowned North Sea Jazz Festival. That is how quickly things can go, so make sure you visit the music stages on September 3rd as you might discover the next big thing. Like previous years, you will be able to see surprising acts with great potential at the fourth edition of the Embassy Festival. The Australian ‘most celebrated Hammond artist’ Lachy Doley has been compared to Jimi Hendrix in his home country. Get inspired by Lachy Doley’s rock and blues sound, as well as his dark and raspy, but crystal-clear voice. The Irish pop duo Hudson Taylor have already earned recognition in Ireland with their EP ‘Battles’ hitting the charts. Now it’s time for them to conquer The Hague with their folky pop songs.

In addition to the music programme, the Embassy Festival aims to broaden our knowledge of the different cultures and their traditions through several activities that are set up in the ‘Creative Area’. There will also be a special programme for children. The ‘Country Pavilions’ offer visitors an opportunity to taste different flavours from all around the world. Feel, taste and discover an array of cultures. Experience all of this at the picturesque and stately décor of the Embassy Festival’s location, the Lange Voorhout. The Hague is a truly international city. With the presence of the embassies, NGO’s and multinational corporations, the city is continuously connected to the world. The fourth edition of the Embassy Festival showcases a beautiful collection of international cultures that can be seen, heard and tasted. The Embassy Festival is organised by PROOOST, the agency that is also the driving force behind the successful ‘THE LIFE I LIVE’ festival. Diplomat Magazine has been a partner of Embassy Festival since the very first edition. The festival is financially supported by the Municipality of The Hague Economic Department and Office for International Affairs and receives the support of the official Representation of the European Commission in the Netherlands. EMBASSY FESTIVAL | SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3rd 2016 | 12 – 8 PM LANGE VOORHOUT, THE HAGUE | FREE ADMISSION MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FESTIVAL: WWW.EMBASSYFESTIVAL.COM

Ambassador Boonpracong and a Thai group during the event.

By Roy Lie A Tjam. The 11th edition of Thailand Grand Festival took place at “Plein” The Hague on 2-3 July 2016. The festival showcased elements of the Thai cultural and traditional activities such as Thai street food, Thai beverages including beers. Furthermore, traditional and contemporary music, dances; Muay Thai, handicraft and Thai wellbeing spa and herbs. Artists at the Thai Festival weekend: Akhira Thai Dance, Kru Maew, Khum Ponchai and some others. For a photo album, please open the following links: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157670724192542 https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157671390143885 https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/albums/72157671282483836  

  In his welcome remarks, H.E. Mr. Ittiporn Boonpracong, Ambassador of Thailand described how delighted and honored he was to welcome the audience once again to Thailand Grand Festival in the Netherlands. Several Ambassadors, friends of Thailand, Diplomats and members of international organisations, responded positively to the invitation to the Vin d’honneur to mark the opening of the 11th “Thailand Grand Festival” on 2 July 2016. The Ambassador continued, ” this is our biggest annual family event which has been held for eleven consecutive years The Thailand Grand Festival is the pride of the Thai community in the Netherlands. It serves primarily to promote people-to-people understanding between the Netherlands and Thailand as well as to strengthen the unity of the Thai community.” “The Royal Thai Embassy to the Netherlands attaches a great importance to the unity of people. There are over 20,000 Thais living and working in the Netherlands. The preparation of this event has proven that unity exists not only among Thai community in the Netherlands but also among Government’s offices overseas. In this connection, my heartfelt thank goes to the Office of Commercial Affairs in The Hague, the Office of Agricultural Affairs in Brussels and the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Paris for participating and for always being supportive of our events.” “This year is a remarkable year for Thai people as in Thailand we are celebrating the 70th anniversary of H.M. King’s accession to the throne on 9 June 2016 and H.M. Queen’s 84th birthday anniversary on 12 August altogether. Therefore, we have for you a touch of celebration, just like in Thailand, with an exhibition of H.M. King at our booth and also H.M. Queen’s color as our backdrop and the theme of the event.” Ambassador Ittiporn Boonpracong thanked all who came to join him at the opening reception of the festival. “It means a lot to me” he remarked. “I wish you stay longer to enjoy the rest of the event.” On the two days program featured: live music, Thai massage, muay Thai or Thai kickboxing show and many more cultural performances. Ambassador Ittiporn Boonpracong declared the eleventh Thailand Grand Festival open by striking a gong (Khong) A very large crowd listened to Ambassador Ittiporn Boonpracong welcome address. He wishes everyone a great day. Photography by Mr. Pornsith Pibulnakarintr and Ms. Watanya Singhasa from the Royal Thai Embassy in The Hague and Zohra Moazzam Khan from Diplomat Magazine. ​