Water Situation in Jordan

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Water Situation in Jordan

By H.E. Mr. Ahmad Jalal Said Al Mufleh, Ambassador for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Pictures by Kim Vermaat for Diplomat Magazine.

Water is the heart of life and enters directly and actively in all life activities. Jordan’s renewable sources cannot keep up with the growing demand. This deficit is translated by the marked increase in the country’s imports of food items compared with its exports.

The annual average of fresh water available as renewable resources within the safe limits is about 750 million cubic meters annually, including 275 million cubic meters from renewable ground water resources and the rest from surface sources. In addition to this, treated waste water is used, as well as quantities taken from non-renewable ground water to cover the deficit in various needs. This has a negative impact on ground water reservoirs. About 51% of this water is used in agriculture, 44% for house use and 5% for industry.

Jordan’s needs of water in 2014 are estimated at about 1200 million cubic meters, of which only 850 million cubic meters are available, a deficit of 30%.

This deficit is subject to increase due to population growth and increased economic activity on one hand and on the other further burdened with the massive influx of 1.4 million Syrian refugees into Jordan over the past 3 years, with less than 10% in camps and the rest absorbed into our communities .

The share of Jordanian individuals from renewable water in 2014 was less than 130 cubic meters for various uses. This is a small portion of what individuals need for domestic and industrial use, and water for food production. Individuals need 1000 cubic meters annually, which means it is a high priority to take advantage of all water resources available, including reusing treated waste water. A water strategy was drafted to cover water needs up to 2022, and was approved by the government.

This strategy outlined long term goals to develop and manage water resources, put forth recommendations on its allocation, legislations and institutional organization based on sound assessments.

JORDAN
H.E. Mr. Ahmad Jalal Said Al Mufleh

The government has made much effort to provide Jordanian citizens with water, as well as provide sanitation services through waste water networks.

The percentage of house water service increased to 95% and sanitation services increased by 65%%. Moreover, 31 waste water treatment plants were built producing 137 million cubic meters annually of treated water used for irrigation purposes. In view of the progress in supply systems in the Kingdom and weak management of collection and maintenance, work must be done to overcome these drawbacks.

A high percentage of Jordan’s population lives in urban areas, and urban environmental problems form a number of elements of water resource management, such as: Establishing wastewater treatment plants based on advanced technologies, implementing programs for rain water, water seepage and sanitation programs in urban areas. In addition to promoting the treatment and reuse of waste water and solid waste, and control of industrial sources of pollution to protect water resources.

As for the goals, work is underway to reach an average supply for each person with around 112 liters of safe water per day to fulfill the needs of the population and maintain health, as well as supplying 75% of the population with sanitation and ensuring that 75% of the solid waste produced in urban areas is collected, treated and disposed of in an environmentally safe way.

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation is mandated with the water sector, and its role focuses on drafting water policy, decision making, central administration of data and information, monitoring, and national water planning for the water sector.

Under its umbrella there are two arms:

The Water Authority of Jordan that is mandated with domestic water affairs, including the development of water resources and supplying citizens with it, as well as the execution, maintenance and operation of supply systems, providing sanitation services, and waste water treatment and reuse.

The Jordan Valley Authority that is mandated with the development of the Jordan Valley area. This geographic area’s primary activity is agriculture, and most of the activities of this authority are connected to irrigation water.

There are many government and private institutions that play a role in the water sector such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Metrology Department, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Finance, and other specialized research and study centers, such as universities, NGOs mandated with environmental protection, and the Royal Scientific Society.

The effective provision of water resource assessment technologies appropriate for Jordan’s needs, including means of assessing the climate impact on fresh water, and taking the necessary institutional measures to verify good collection, analysis, storage, and extraction, and the distribution of this information among those who need it, in terms of the quantity and quality of water resources available in water fall areas and in ground water storage, will certainly lead to sustainable development and a water environment that will maintain public health.

In the area of water resources and its quality, and the water ecosystem, the government is intensifying efforts to prevent further deterioration in water quality and the ability to control high consumption rates as a result of population increases and industrial activity, in order to preserve water resources which should ensure public health.

Diplomat Magazine Note: The International Water Association based in The Hague, hosted in Jordan last  October the Water Security for Sustainable Growth, a very successful international congress  with over 1000 delegates  from  more than 70 countries worldwide.

Participants were  international experts, government delegations, world-leading institutions, companies and organisations involved in the development of clean, safe drinking water and sanitation services.

Newton College in The Hague – a Dutch-Peruvian collaboration that did not go unnoticed

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Newton College in The Hague – a Dutch-Peruvian collaboration that did not go unnoticed
On the picture H. E. Carlos Herrera with the young musicians from Newton College of Lima and their music director Natasha Encinas. Text and pictures by Ellen Brager. In his function of Ambassador of Peru to The Netherlands, H. E. Carlos Herrera receives many honored guests in his residence in Wassenaar, but seldom are they as young and as talented as his recent visitors from Peru. A group of young string players from Newton College in Lima traveled to The Hague, accompanied by their teachers and parents to work with local musicians and discover “los Paises Bajos”, the Low Countries as The Netherlands are called in Spanish. The musical group was comprised of 13 violinists, between the ages of 6 and 15, and one young cellist. They looked forward for this trip for many months and practiced long and hard to prepare an interesting and varied repertoire. During their week-long stay in The Hague they worked together with the Hofstads Jeugdorkest (VHJO), the American School of The Hague (ASH) and the International School of The Hague (ISH) with whom they held several joint concerts. IMG_0876 Having heard about their visit, Mr. Herrera and his spouse Veronique Miclea, did not pass up the opportunity to invite them into their home to get to know them personally and listen to their playing. Divided in small groups, the kids performed three traditional songs from Peru, filling the Peruvian expats that had been invited to the reception with nostalgia for their country. After the children’s performance, it was the turn of the teachers to delight the guests with their talent. Back home the teachers form a trio of violin, guitar/vocals and percussion, called Las Warmis, which means The Women in the Quechua language that is spoken in the Andes. Their repertoire draws on the rich sounds of the Peruvian folklore and constitutes a paean to the beauty of their country. IMG_0975 In addition to the delegation from Newton College, the Ambassador invited several local musicians and other contributors to the success of the school’s trip, as well as his personal guests and representatives of Diplomat Magazine. Upon arrival the invitees were treated to a glass of Pisco Sour, the traditional drink of Peru, and a variety of bocaditos, little hors d’oeuvres with Peruvian flavors. After the musical interlude was over, the guests mingled, while Mr. Herrera spoke with his young musical guests and posed with them for some pictures. It was a delightful evening that left the kids feeling honored, the parents and teachers proud, and the guests grateful to have been part of it. But the Ambassador’s involvement with the Peruvian visit did not stop there. The next day he honored the musicians again by officially opening the last concert of their tour held in the beautiful theater of ASH. After a few welcome words during which he praised the collaboration between the Peruvian musicians and their Dutch counterparts, the children preformed a special program that combined classical music with traditional Peruvian tunes. The Peruvian musicians opened the concert, not on their string instruments, but on the cajón, an indigenous Peruvian percussion instrument. It is a wooden box that is played with both hands while the musician sits on it. Lined up in a long row the kids played various rhythms in question and answer format. After this unique opening, the preparatory orchestra and the advanced string ensemble of the VHJO, as well as the string orchestra of ASH, joined the Peruvian musicians in different formations. In total, close to one hundred musicians who had never performed together before, combined their talents to take the audience on a journey from the Europe of Strauss and Mendelssohn to the high peaks of the Andes. A special highlight was Bach’s double violin concerto, where the solo positions were shared by doubling up musicians from Peru and The Netherlands.

Peru - Copy

The concert ended with the Peruvian classic “El Condor Pasa”, first in an instrumental version played by the entire orchestra, then, for the encore, the audience was invited to sing along with the instruments. They found the words in Spanish in the concert program and followed two lead vocals on stage.

This final piece, by involving all present – the musicians from Peru, their Dutch counterparts from the VHJO and the many other nationalities represented in the orchestra of ASH as well as in the audience – testified to how music has the power to unite people and share the satisfaction of creating harmony together.    

Manners in Rwanda

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Manners in Rwanda
A fruit market full of flavours and colors, a café terrasse with young graceful women meeting on a Friday night, a street of barbershops where the latest music hits are played. These are not the typical pictures you would first associate with Rwanda. Yet, 21 years after the Genocide, Rwanda is in many ways a new country full of life, energy and hope for the future. In every city, in every village, in every corner of this land, something is happening, a new story is being written. It is the story of Rwanda seen through the eyes of the millions of young people who for a large extent have not experienced the atrocities of the genocide. More than two thirds of Rwandans are under the age 20. Their notion of identity, beliefs and culture is in many ways different from what one would expect from a post-conflict country. While latest mobile technologies have no secret for them, their views of marriage are very anchored in the cultural roots of Rwanda. They don’t define themselves as conservative or modern, Christian or Muslim, Tutsi or Hutu. What many see as contradictions are for them components of a new identity, proper to them and their époque. Attempts to portray the new Rwanda in literature have been made by different authors of the older generation of Rwandans. But their upbringing in the four decades of dark history that preceded the 1994 Genocide do not always allow them to fully see their country’s transformation from a new perspective. Their fears and anxieties are unconsciously reflected in their writings. Similarly, foreign writers are unable to fully grasp the desire of Rwandans to challenge binary approaches to identity. A proper understanding of Rwandan modern times imposes nonetheless a journey to the ancient pre-colonial times. For centuries, Rwandans relied on their culture of storytelling to transfer knowledge and information from generation to generation. In a predominantly young society, growing fast both economically and culturally, making sure the Rwandan heritage is well and properly documented is a challenge to the new generation. “Manners In Rwanda” book takes you to the green landscapes of Rwanda, through the eyes of its young people, at the crossroads between modern and traditional influences. “Manners in Rwanda” book offers travel tips, cultural insights, vocabularies and language notes. It is a blend of classical and contemporary Rwanda. The book gives a comprehensive insight of a Rwandan way of life—giving a narrative of the ancient Rwanda, Rwandan housing, settlement, beliefs, clothing, sports, entertainment, wedding and intimacy, cuisine and so on. Marriage is a very fundamental aspect in Rwandan culture. The book breaks down all the marriage rituals of the bride and bridegroom. The book explains Rwandan courtship, engagement, marriage, bridal shower, sex in marriage and many more interesting things. Sex and intimacy are key elements of a marriage. Young girls most of the time are being taught this matter by their female older relatives, not openely but by teaching them how to do the labia elongation (gukuna imishino), one of the sexual traditions (details cfr the book) to be done by most of the Rwandan females before they get married. Readers will have a basic knowledge on Rwandan culture, customs and Kinyarwanda language. This book has been featured into the Netherlands Drongo Language Festival, and Frankfurt International book Fair, which said to be the biggest fair in the world. The book also highlights the Rwandan cultural values, detailing the Do’s and Don’ts and family ties and relations. Rwanda (like so many African cultures) does not have a long history of written literature, but there is a strong oral tradition ranging from poetry to folk stories. Many of the country’s moral values and details of history have been passed down through generations. “Manners in Rwanda” book has been published in May 2015 by InkwaterPress, an American publishing house based in Portland, United States. The book is best for: Travelers or tourists to Rwanda Professional readers who are into geography, places, cultures and history Linguists who love learning your language Decision-makers in the publishing industry who are on the lookout of unique genre and style Academicians, librarians, students and bookstore owners Rwandan and African book enthusiasts Book investors of Rwanda and Africa’s pride Friends of Rwanda “Manners in Rwanda” book can be found on Amazon.com, inkwaterpress.com, Barnes&Nobles, Powells, ebay, bol.com, etc… It can also be ordered via any bookstore by giving its ISBN which is: 9781629012544 In Rwanda, it’s in Ikirezi Library, Caritas, Excel Bookshop at MTN Center, School books distributors located at Gishushu and in the Duty free of Kigali International airport.
The book can be bought online at:
– Amazon
You can follow the author on: Twitter: Joy Nzamwita Facebook: Joy Uwanziga    

New ambassadors to the Benelux countries

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New ambassadors to the Benelux countries
On the picture Ambassador Claude-France Arnould. By Baron Henri Estramant. France to Belgium: HE Ambassador Claude-France Arnould, Director of the European Defence Agency from 2011 to January 2015. Thereafter until October 2015 Special Envoy for Space at the European External Action Service. http://www.ambafrance-be.org/Biographie-de-S-E-Mme-Claude-France-Arnould. Pictures by French Embassy to Belgium 
Maryem van den Heuvel handing in her credentials - Picture by Royal Dutch Embassy to Belgium
Maryem van den Heuvel handing in her credentials to HM King Filip of the Belgians – Picture by Royal Dutch Embassy to Belgium.
Netherlands to Belgium: HE Ambassador Maryem van den Heuvel was accredited by HM King Filip of the Belgians on 28 October 2015. She worked previously at the Foreign Ministry in Den Haag as Director for the Department for the Western Hemisphere.  She is the first Royal Dutch ambassador with Tunisian background. Ambassador van den Heuvel is fluent in Dutch, French, Arabic, English and Spanish. http://belgie.nlambassade.org/organization/de-ambassadeur/cv-ambassadeur.html
Maria Ubach Font - Picture by EU
Maria Ubach Font with President Donald Tusk. Picture by EU.
Andorra to the Benelux countries, Germany and the EU: HE Ambassador Maria Ubach Font, previously head of mission to the French Republic, Portugal and UNESCO. She presented her credentials in Belgium on 15 September 2015, and is due to do the same in The Netherlands on 11 November and 11 December in Germany. 
HE Jürgen Meindl - Picture by Austrian embassy to Switzerland.
HE Jürgen Meindl – Picture by Austrian embassy to Switzerland.
Austria to Belgium and NATO: HE Ambassador Jürgen Meindl, previously ambassador of Austria to Switzerland. http://www.bmeia.gv.at/botschaft/bruessel/die-botschaft/der-botschafter.html
Christian Meuwly left
Christian Meuwly left.
Switzerland to Belgium: HE Ambassador Christian Meuwly, previously head of mission to South Africa, co-accredited to Zambia and Mauritius. Presented credentials to the King of the Belgians on 28 October 2015.  https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/belgium/fr/home/representations/ambassade/personnel.html
HE Ingrid Schulerud.
HE Ingrid Schulerud.
Norway to Belgium and EU: Ambassador Ingrid Schulerud, previously diplomat in Budapest, Hungary.  She is likewise Deputy Head of Mission at the Norwegian Representation to the EU. http://www.norvege.be/Embassy/Ambassade-/CV-de-lAmbassadeur/#.VjRyiNLRZkg
Ambassador Mukul
HE Ambassador Jagdish Saksena Mukul .
India to The Netherlands and the OPCW:  HE Ambassador Jagdish Saksena Mukul presented credentials to King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands on 2 September 2015. Previously he was head of mission to the Sultanate of Oman.  http://www.indianembassy.nl/eoi.php?id=Ambassador
Thomas Selby Pillay - Picture by EU
HE Ambassador Thomas Selby Pillay with President Donald Tusk.
Seychelles to the three Benelux countries, the EU and OPCW: HE Ambassador Thomas Selby Pillay, was accredited to Belgium on 10 January 2015, to the EU on 29 October 2015 and to The Netherlands on 10 June 2015. From 2011 to 2014 he was Principal Counsellor at the Seychelles Permanent Mission to the United Nations, New York.
HE Choe Jonghyun.
HE Choe Jonghyun.
  (South) Korea to The Netherlands and the OPCW: HE Ambassador Choe Jonghyun, formerly ambassador to Oman. Presented credentials to HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands on 26 November 2014.  
Dr. António Vasco - Picture by President of Portugal's Office.
Dr. António Vasco – Picture by President of Portugal’s Office.
Portugal to Belgium: HE Ambassador Dr. António Vasco da Cunha e Lorena Alves Machado accredited since 20 May 2015.  

Azerbaijan: sustainable development as a target

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Azerbaijan: sustainable development as a target
                            By H. E. Mir-Hamza Efendiyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan  to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Azerbaijan has come a long way from the challenges it faced upon gaining its independence from the USSR in 1991. At that time, political and socio-economic situation in the country was disastrous, Azerbaijan was on the verge of civil war, and this situation was aggravated by the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, resulting in the occupation of 20% of our territories by Armenian military forces. The conflict is still the most painful issue for Azerbaijan and continues to pose a serious threat to regional security in general. Therefore, we expect the international community to demonstrate a firm response to security challenges that persist in the region by consistent commitment to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of international borders of Azerbaijan and urge for soonest implementation of respective UN Security Council resolutions adopted in this regard. The situation continued to deteriorate up until the arrival to power of Heydar Aliyev, the late president of Azerbaijan, in 1993. Immediately after, the chaotic situation returned under control, and Azerbaijan rapidly started showing signs of recovery and development. The far-sighted oil strategy of Heydar Aliyev opened new opportunities for the country and just a year after, in 1994, a historical agreement was signed between Azerbaijan and the consortium of foreign oil companies, known as the “Contract of the Century”. This resulted in the oil boom in our country and put a start to the well-known projects related to energy security and diversification such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, the currently being implemented Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), and the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). Today, President Ilham Aliyev’s successful continuation of this policy, throughout the implementation of complex political and socio-economic reforms in the country ensures stability and dynamic democratic development. One of the main priorities for our government today is the diversification of our economy through directing oil and gas revenues into non-oil sector and successful steps are taken in this direction. Azerbaijan has implemented a series of innovative reforms in every sector of the country’s economy and a significant importance is given to the modernization of public services, modern communication and information technologies. Our country has achieved significant results in the economic diversification process, and for the past year 2014, the share of non-oil sector in the overall GDP counted for 60%, and this positive trend is expected to continue further. The current relations between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands are dynamically developing. Recent years have been rich in reciprocal visits of the heads of states as well as ministerial meetings in different fields, the latter of which took place recently in the framework of the 70th session of UN General Assembly.
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Baku, Azerbaijan.
Today, more than 100 companies with Dutch capital are registered in Azerbaijan and operate in various business fields. In the period of last two years four business forums between Azerbaijan and the Netherlands were successfully held. It is a positive fact, that according to our Ministry of Economic Development and Industry, for the year 2014, the Netherlands were fourth in terms of foreign direct investments in the economy of our country. Tolerance and dialogue between cultures is a way of life in Azerbaijan. The Government pursue the policy of cultural dialogue and tolerance which objective is to enable the people to live together peacefully and o develop a sense of community. In this regard, “Baku Process” for the promotion of intercultural dialogue was initiated in 2008 and World Forums on Intercultural Dialogue and Baku International Humanitarian Forums held in Azerbaijan each year.
Port_Baku
Port of Baku.
  When talking about the ongoing processes in Azerbaijan, it is important to mention that our country has become a host for many important international events which contribute significantly to the process of growth of interest and tourism in Azerbaijan. Our country is being host to International festivals and contests, such as the “Gabala International Music Festival”, the “Eurovision” song contest in 2012. The Inaugural European Games successfully held in Baku in June this year. Now we have on the agenda the Formula 1 “Baku European Grand Prix” which will take place in 2016, as well as fourth “Islamic Solidarity Games” in Baku in 2017, several matches of UEFA “EURO 2020” and etc. Photography Max Koot Studio.

Views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
`The vanishing prospects for a two state solution´ – Views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict   By Johanna Ospina Garnica, UPEACE Centre The Hague. Review of the lecture presented by Robert H. Serry, a former Dutch career diplomat who served to NATO and the UN, on September 9, 2015. (For more information on UPEACE Centre The Hague and the lecture series “Peace Building in Progress” see: www.upeace.nl). In his lecture on `The vanishing prospects for a two state solution´, Mr. Serry shared his experience after having served seven years as the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process in Jerusalem. He shared his views on the so-called `Two State Solution´ (TSS), the current situation between Israel and Palestine and the persistent direction towards a `One State reality´. Mr. Serry started his lecture by explaining that, during his years serving in Jerusalem, the American government led three failed peace initiatives that did not meet the urgent and essential need to establish a Palestinian state as foreseen in the TSS. These peace initiatives were followed by several events: The wars in the Gaza Strip that left the territory in devastating conditions, the pursuit of statehood at UN level by the Palestinian government, and joining the International Criminal Court in April 2015 – a move that was not well accepted by Israel. According to Mr. Serry, the interconnection of these three aspects (peace negotiations, war in the Gaza Strip and pursuing state recognition at the UN level) has produced one of the deepest crises that stand in the way of the TSS in the last 25 years. These circumstances have led both parties to share an uncomfortable condition that he described as `living unhappily like Siamese twins in one state´. Before explaining his proposal about how to prevent the worsening of this situation, he presented three drivers that in his opinion move parties away from peace and accordingly are an obstacle to achieve a TSS in the near future: Settlements, Palestinian disunity, and regional upheaval combined with international impotence.
Robert H. Serry
Robert H. Serry
Settlements: Building settlements across the `Green Line´ is illegal under international law, as noted in the Fourth Geneva Convention, article 49, that forbids individual or mass forcible transfers by the occupying Power and therefore is not compatible with the TSS. Currently, there are more than 500,000 settlers living in the `Area C´ which is 70% of the West Bank and remains under Israeli security control. Mr. Serry pointed out that, to keep any real chance to achieve a TSS, Israel must stop or at least restrain the settlement growing and take effective measures on settler violence. Palestinian disunity: Another obstacle to achieve the TSS is the deep political division between the Palestinian political forces, Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. This internal division has a big impact in the attempt to accomplish a peace agreement that leads to the end of the conflict. On the one hand, Hamas refuses to recognize Israel as a legitimate state and has an important responsibility in the terrorist attacks that undermined the Oslo Accords and have escalated the conflict in the last years. On the other hand, the recent peace efforts have focused on dialogues between Israel and Ramallah, setting aside Hamas´ position. Despite the formation of the Government of National Consensus (GNC) last year it is still not possible to know how Palestinian leaders will work together to meet the needs and interests of their people. Regional upheaval combined with uncertainty / international impotence: In previous decades one the main affairs of the Middle East diplomacy was the Arab-Israeli conflict, but nowadays the scenario has changed dramatically. The impacts caused by the so-called `Arab Spring´ turned the hope for social change into an `Islamic Summer´ characterised by high levels of violence and instability in several countries in the region. In these circumstances the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its peace process could seem like a low relevant issue. However, the conflict remains an aggravating factor for the stability of the region, as it remains unsolved and outbreaks as happened last year in Gaza continue to pour oil on the regional fire. Mr. Serry explained that in order to make real progress to achieve a peace agreement among the parties and thus contribute to the regional stability it is necessary to reconsider the TSS paradigm, which has not worked so far. He shared two observations on the importance to look for alternatives to the TSS, taking into account that the one-state Solution is not desirable for both parties and the emerging one-state reality increases the potential for tensions and the intensification of the conflict. First, it is needed to deal with the Gaza Strip as an existential priority. The last wars have generated dramatic conditions in the territory and have made reconstruction almost impossible. Given the urgent need to take action, it is important to propose solutions that progressively lead to full reconstruction of Gaza and end its isolation. These solutions include rebuilding Shehaiya, developing projects on water and energy supply or connecting Gaza with the West Bank through either a road or a railway. A Palestine Reconstruction Authority under international auspices could be indispensable to achieve this goal. Second, the current concept of TSS needs renewed scrutiny if future negotiations are going to have any chance to succeed. In the last years some Israeli political leaders and experts have expressed the idea that the TSS paradigm is almost dead and have introduced the idea of `co-habitation´ and a `con-federation´ between Israel and Palestine instead. This `con-federation´ would allow Israeli settlers to live in the West Bank in the same proportional number of Palestinians that would be allowed to live inside the Israeli borders. In this scenario Jerusalem would be divided as capital for both parties and an international force could guarantee security in Palestine. The idea of a more hybrid TSS deserves further consideration and might open the road to an arrangement in which connecting becomes more important to both sides than dividing.    

New ambassadors to the Benelux countries

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New ambassadors to the Benelux countries
On the picture HE Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdeking.   By Baron Henri Estramant. Germany to Belgium: HE Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdeking formerly head of mission of Germany to the OSCE. He was accredited to Belgium on 15 September 2015 after presenting his credentials to HM King Philipp of the Belgians from the German dynasty of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (House of Belgium).   http://www.bruessel.diplo.de/Vertretung/bruessel/de/04_20Die_20Botschaft/Botschafter__und__ Abteilungen/Behoerdenleiter__und__Referate.html    
Dr. Al Jishi & BACA President Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa - Picture by BACA.
Dr. Al Jishi & BACA President Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa – Picture by BACA.
Bahrain to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg: HE Ambassador Dr. Bahiya bint Jawad Al Jishi formerly a member of the Shura Council (parliament). Yet to be accredited.  http://www.shura.bh/en/Council/MPs/2006MP41/Pages/default.aspx  
Ambassador Bouteum Khamkheuang & EC President Donald Tusk - Picture by EU
Ambassador Bouteum Khamkheuang & EC President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU
Laos to the three Benelux countries, the EU and the OPCW : HE Ambassador Bouteum Khamkheuang formely ambassador to Austria, the UN Office as well as the International organisations based in Vienna, co-accredited as non-resident ambassador to Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Presented credentials to HM The King of the Belgians on 8 September 2015, to EC President Donald Tusk on 29 October 2015. He is yet to be accredited to The Netherlands, Luxembourg and  the OPCW.   
HE Simona Frankel - Picture by Embassy of Israel in Brussels.
HE Simona Frankel – Picture by Embassy of Israel in Brussels.
Israel to Belgium and Luxembourg: HE Ambassador Simona Frankel. Formerly director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel for bilateral meetings between governments.  http://embassies.gov.il/Bruxelles/AboutTheEmbassy/Pages/The-ambassador.aspx  
Ambassador Irene Mkwawa Kasyanju - Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool
Ambassador Irene Mkwawa Kasyanju presenting credentials to The King of the Netherlands – Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool.
 Tanzania to The Netherlands and the OPCW: HE Ambassador Irene Florence Mkwawa Kasyanju. Previously head of the legal department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Accredited on 7 October 2015 to The Netherlands.   
Claudia Salerno Caldera - Picture by EU.
H. E. Claudia Salerno Caldera with President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU.
Venezuela to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg: HE Ambassador Claudia Salerno Caldera, she is in addition “Presidential Special Envoy for Climate Change”. Presented her credentials to EC President Tusk on 29 October 2015.   
HE Alexander Vasilievich Shulgin - Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool.
His Majesty Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and HE Alexander Vasilievich Shulgin – Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool.
Russia to The Netherlands: HE Ambassador Alexander Vasilievich Shulgin, previously Director of First European Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. http://www.rusembassy.nl/en/ambassador.php  
HE Chea Thireak with President Donald Tusk - Picture by EU.
HE Chea Thireak with President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU.
Cambodia to the three Benelux countries, the EU, the OPCW and Austria: HE Ambassador Chea Thireak, previously director of La Francophonie department at the Foreign Ministry.   
E Rahma Salih Elobied Salih presenting credentials to The King of the Netherlands - Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool
HE Ambassador Rahma Salih Elobied Salih presenting credentials to The King of the Netherlands – Picture by Frank van Beek, Rotapool.
Sudan to The Netherlands: HE Ambassador Rahma Salih Elobied Salih, previously ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Head of Mission to the UN. Accredited since 7 October 2015.   
HE Ambassador Sophie Thevenoux and EC President Tusk - Picture by EU.
HE Ambassador Sophie Thevenoux and President Donald Tusk.
Monaco to the three Benelux countries and the EU: HE Ambassador Sophie Thevenoux, previously ambassador to the French Republic and Andorra. Accredited to Belgium on 20 May 2015. Yet to be accredited to The Netherlands and Luxembourg. 
H. E. Daniel Costello - Picture by canadainternational.gc.ca.
H. E. Daniel Costello – Picture by canadainternational.gc.ca.
Canada to the EU: HE Ambassador Dan Costello, previously Assistant Deputy Minister – Europe, Middle East, Maghreb, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. Accredited by EC President Tusk on 29 October 2015.   
HE Audrey Kaleba with President Donald Tusk - Picture by EU
HE Audrey Kaleba with President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU
Malawi to the three Benelux countries, France, Switzerland, Italy, the EU, the OPCW: HE Ambassador Aubrey Kalebe.  www.embassymalawi.be Iraq to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg: HE Ambassador Jawad bin Kadhim AL Chlaihawi. Accredited to Belgium on 8 September 2015. Formerly director general of the department for Asia and Australia at the Foreign Ministry. 
HE Lidija Topić with President Donald Tusk - Picture by EU.
HE Lidija Topić with President Donald Tusk – Picture by EU
Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU: HE Ambassador Lidija Topić, previously Head of Office of the Regional Cooperation Council, Liaison Office in Brussels.                     

Pakistan trade promotion: a history of success

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Pakistan trade promotion: a history of success
By Mr. Zahid Ali Abbasi, Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of Pakistan in The Hague. With a population of around 200 million people, Pakistan is strategically located in South Asia in a very important economic neighbourhood, with energy rich Central Asian states on its Western border, huge economic markets like China and India in the North and East as well as an important coastal line to the South. Owing to its prime location, China has recently committed 45 billion dollars of investments in Pakistan, mainly in the economic corridor which will be built from the Gawadar Port of Pakistan to China through the Silk route, a future economic game changer in the region. Pakistan is one of the top ten producers in the world in commodities like cotton, wheat, rice, mangoes, oranges, and milk.  The Netherlands is a very important trading partner for Pakistan, being the fifth largest importer of Pakistani commodities in the EU and tenth largest importer overall for Pakistan. The bilateral trade between the two countries is around 1 billion dollars.  The Netherlands supported Pakistan in award of the GSP plus facility (duty free access status) in 2014 by the EU parliament. Consequently, trade between the two countries increased by 15% in 2014 alone. The major exports from Pakistan are textile, garments, leather and sports goods, footwear, rice; whereas the major imports from the Netherlands are machinery, electrical and electronics equipment, pharmaceutical products, iron, steel, nickel, rubber, and plastics. In the Development Cooperation, the focus of the Netherlands is now on trade. Therefore, Dutch Development Cooperation’s Institutions like CBI (Centre for promotion of exports from developing countries) and PUM (Netherlands Senior Experts Program) are playing an active role in enhancing Pakistani institutions in trade and investments. Pakistani counsellor The Netherlands is also among the top ten investors countries in Pakistan. The country has been home for major Dutch multinational companies like Shell, Unilever, Philips, Akzo Nobel, Macro, and Damn shipyards. Since 2013, the trade wing of the Embassy of Pakistan led by Commercial Attaché Mr. Zahid Abbasi under the guidance of Ambassador of Pakistan, H.E Moazzam Ahmed Khan, has carried out various promotional trade events. For example: a mango exhibition, football and rice promotion in private label exhibitions, participation in Amsterdam fashion week, NBI Investment Expo, sports goods exhibition during the Hockey World Cup, participation in the Hague Embassy Festival, and the organisation of seminars on GSP Plus, the textile sector and investment opportunities in Pakistan. Essentially, we are thankful to Diplomat Magazine for giving us this opportunity to send a message not only to the diplomatic community but also to other important stake holders. 
 

EU launched trade negotiation with Tunisia

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EU launched trade negotiation with Tunisia
On the picture Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and Tunisian PM Habib Essid – Picture by European Commission. Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström launched negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between the EU and Tunisia in  October 2015. The EU wants to mark its support to the political and economic reforms in the country by creating an ambitious partnership on trade and investment matters. In Tunis, Commissioner Malmström also met recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize. Commenting on the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize award to the group of civil society organisations that had played a key role in the country’s post-Arab Spring period, Cecilia Malmström said: “This prize is well-deserved! The Tunisian road to democracy has been a source of inspiration and hope for all of us. I look forward to personally conveying my congratulations when I visit Tunis next week. We need to keep working for closer ties between the EU and Tunisia, and to support the country’s progress going forward. Closer trade relations play an important role here.” During her visit in Tunis, Commissioner Malmström met with Prime Minister Habib Essid and Minister of Trade Ridha Lahouel, the organisations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize: UTICA, UGTT, the Tunesian Order of Lawyers and the Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights as well as members of the Tunisian National Assembly, with whom she discussed their expectations and ambitions regarding the future of EU-Tunisia commercial relations.   For more information:  Tunisian National Tourist Office: http://www.beintunisia.com/en Visit to Tunisia by Commissioner Malmström: http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/photo/photoByReportage.cfm?ref=029270&sitelang=en Tunisian Diplomacy: www.diplomatie.gov.tn ——– Pictures by European Commission     

SAA between Kosovo and EU

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SAA between Kosovo and EU
Kosovar President Jahjaga’s statement on the occasion of signing of SAA between Kosovo and EU At a ceremony organised in Strasbourg, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, signed the Stabilisation-Association Agreement (SAA) between Kosovo and European Union. Through this agreement, Kosovo commences its irreversible journey to membership in European Union, in the family of states which share the values of freedom, democracy, equality and rule of law. Kosovar PM, Isa Mustafa, EU HR Federica Mogherini, Commissioner Johannes Hahn Federica Mogherini , held a press conference also attended by first Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaçi and the Minister of European Integration, Bekim Çollaku and Commissioner Johannes Hahn for for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy.    Strassbourg, 27 October 2015 ”I wholeheartedly congratulate the citizens of Kosovo on this exceptional achievement. This advancement is the result of accomplished reforms and all encompassing social and political consensus which European agenda enjoys in Kosovo. We arrived at this historic day for Kosovo with engagement of all citizens, institutions, political spectrum, of our civil society, business community and of many other segments of society. From today, Kosovo establishes contractual agreement with European Union, agreement with mutual rights and obligations. This agreement will help implementation of reforms in many sectors, and will deepen the political dialogue between Kosovo and European Union. Kosovo’s benefits are multiple, especially in incitement of foreign investments and establishing of best possible conditions for sustainable economic development of the country. I express my gratitude to the institutions of European Union and its member states for the continuous support for Kosovo’s, and its citizens, clear European path. Kosovo has a long journey ahead, which requires lots of hard work from us until we reach the final membership target. We have aligned ourselves on the right side of history, and have embraced the values of peace and liberty. This path is by now clear, reciprocal and irreversible.”   For more information:  Full statement: www.president-ksgov.net/?page=2,6,4105#.VjMug9LRZki Signing ceremonary of the SAA agreement: www.facebook.com/Kosovo-Embassy-Brussels-828443587198699/?fref=ts Prime Minister of Kosovo: http://www.kryeministri-ks.net/?page=2,9,5323    
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