The President of the Assembly of States Parties meets with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and with the Bureau of the Committee of Representatives.
On 13 August 2015, H.E. Mr. Sidiki Kaba, President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute (“the Assembly”) of the International Criminal Court (“the Court”), traveled to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to meet with H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. During their exchanges, the President of the Assembly introduced the main priorities of his term and reiterated the need to develop a new relationship between Africa and the Court. He also emphasized the need to strengthen the judicial capacities of States to prevent and prosecute the most serious crimes contained in the Rome Statute.
President Sidiki Kaba also met with the Bureau of the Committee of Representatives to the African Union (COREP) and with the Chairs of the African regional groups at a meeting held in the presence of Ms. Djenna Djarra, Executive Secretary of the Commission. At this meeting, President Kaba welcomed the efforts undertaken by the African Union to fight impunity.
Furthermore, President Kaba met with Mr. Haile Menkerios, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to the African Union, with whom he had fruitful discussions on the peacebuilding efforts by the United Nations in Africa. In this regard, he reiterated that justice is an essential vehicle to ensure sustainable peace and break the cycles of violence that feed from impunity.
President Kaba also met with the Delegation of the European Union (“EU”) and with the representatives from EU member states in Addis, as well as with the representatives of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC) accredited in Ethiopia. At these meetings, he urged them to continue supporting the Court.
At the conclusion of this official visit, H.E. Mr. Kaba stated:
“I thank President Dlamini-Zuma for her warm welcoming as well as the constructive exchanges we had. I am convinced that there is an urgent need to restore trust between the Court and African States Parties to the Rome Statute. The dialogue that we started today must be continued as we aspire to initiate a new era in the relationship between the Assembly and African States”.
Recent reports of possible use of chemical weapons in Iraq by non-State actors are a matter of serious concern. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is in contact with the government of Iraq and will examine any substantive reports it receives including pertinent information that might be shared by other States Parties.
The Director-General of the OPCW, H. E. Ahmet Üzümcü, recalled that States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention regard the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances as reprehensible and completely contrary to the legal norms and standards of the international community.
On Tuesday, 30 June 2015, His Excellency Mongolia’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Mission to the EU, Davaadorj Khishigdelger, hosted a reception at the Warwick Barsey Hotel in Brussels to fête Mongolian freedom from Chinese rule in 1921. The actual date for the commemoration in Mongolia is 11 July. The elimination of Chinese dominance is celebrated with the “Naadam Festival” running from July11 – 13 annually.
The Naadam, typically is a three-day long festival. It is held primarily in the Naadam Stadium located in the city of Ulaan Baatar. The festival begins with a vibrant ceremony at Sukhbaatar Square, and is followed by a parade set to the traditional Mongolian music.
Mongolia’s ambassador and wife greeting Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri.
A number of sporting events are held. The wrestling, archery, and horse-riding competitions are much awaited and bring the victors much fame. While wrestling and archery are held in the Naadam Stadium, the horse riding takes place in Yarmag village. Sporting events are held on a national level and at a regional level as well. Traditional Mongolian food such as khuushuur – (deep fried meat dumplings) is served all over the country and food form an integral part of the celebrations.
In 1691 the Manchu tribes who founded the Qing Dynasty in China gained control over Mongolia. After the collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1911 Mongolia declared its independence. The Chinese, nevertheless, did not recognize its independence until 1921; when Mongolia declared victory over China with Russian support. Fearing Chinese domination, Soviet Russia quickly instated a communist government in Mongolia. Today, Naadam festival marks this historic moment. The Independence Day of Mongolia marks the occasion of the proclamation of its first constitution in 1924, which led to the establishment of Mongolian People’s Republic.
End of June 2015, His Excellency Ambassador Nagy Zoltán presented his credentials as non-resident ambassador of Hungary to HRH The Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
The mission, though based in Brussels, does have a diplomat based in Luxembourg for representation, First Secretary, Ms Katalin Dusaucy-Rapp.
Ambassador Nagy had already presented his credentials to HM The King of the Belgians on 10 March 2015.
Before arriving in Brussels Ambassador Nagy was Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest between 2012-2014.
For more information
Embassy of Hungary to Belgium and Luxembourg: www.mfa.gov.hu/kulkepviselet/BRUSSELS_BILAT/en/
Ambassador Nagy: www.mfa.gov.hu/kulkepviselet/BRUSSELS_BILAT/en/en_Koszonto/Ambassador_s+CV.htm
On the picture Dr Eckart Cuntz displaying his Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Belgium.By Baron Henri Estramant.Germany’s Dr. Eckart Cuntz.
Ambassador Cuntz left Belgium for his new base in Berlin on 30 June 2015 after serving since 2011 as bilateral ambassador accredited to the Kingdom of Belgium. On the last day of his mission, the ambassador paid a farewell visit to HM The King of the Belgians who in his turn presented him with the “Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown”. It is Belgium’s second highest order albeit it was originally instituted as a Congolese Order by King Leopold II in 1897.
His successor is Ambassador Rüdiger Lüdekind, previously director general of the German mission to the OSCE (Vienna).
Ambassador Oegroseno (Indonesia) Picture by KUL.Indonesia’s Arif Havas Oegroseno.
Deputy Minister for Maritime Sovereignty Coordinating (Ministry for Maritime Affairs – Republic of Indonesia), Arif Oegroseno, served as chief of mission to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg from 2010 to 2015.
Prof. Henri Mova Sakanyi ( Democratic Republic of Congo).Democratic Republic of Congo’s Professor Henri Mova Sakanyi.
Professor Mova Sakanyi was ambassador accredited to the three Benelux countries from 2009, head of mission to the EU and the OPCW. He left Brussels for the political appointment as Secretary General of the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie – PPRD), which is the party of incumbent DRC President Joseph Kabila Kabange.
A mission of the DR of Congo to The Netherlands opened in early 2015 but is yet to receive an ambassador. Currently the chargé d’affaires in The Hague is Minister Counsellor Thomas Konko.
H. E. Jacques Revah and with HRH Princess Alexandre of Belgium (Israel).Israel’s Jacques Revah.
Bilateral ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, Jacques Revah, left Brussels for Jerusalem on 12 August 2015 after serving as head of mission since 2011. He is now retired.
His successor, Ambassador Simone Frankel, arrived in Brussels on 13 August 2015. This shall be her first ambassadorship.
H. E. Manorom Phonseya (Laos). Picture by OPCW.Laos’ Phonseya Manorom.
Ambassador Phonseya was recalled to Laos back in April 2015. He had served as head of mission since mid-2012 covering the EU, the OPCW, and bilaterally the Benelux countries, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Chargé d’affaires a.i. is Mr Sengprachang Thongkhoun.
Ambassador Saem Hem (Cambodia). Picture by European Council.Cambodia’s Hem Saem.
Ambassaor Hem left his post in Brussels in the beginning of May 2015. He had served since 2009 as chief of mission to the EU, the OPCW, the Benelux countries and Austria.
His successor is Ambassador Chea Thireak. For more information
Embassy of Germany to Belgium: www.bruessel.diplo.de/Vertretung/bruessel/fr/Startseite.html
Embassy of Indonesia to Belgium and Luxembourg, Mission to the EU: http://www.embassyofindonesia.eu/
CV of Deputy Minister Oegroseno: www.europeantunaconference.com/havas.html
Mission of the DR of Congo to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU: www.ambardc.eu
Embassy of Israel to Belgium and Luxembourg: http://embassies.gov.il/Bruxelles/Pages/default.aspx
Mission of Laos to the EU, the Benelux, Scandinavia: www.ambalao.be
Mission of Cambodia to the EU, the Benelux and Austria: http://www.embassyofcambodia.org/other_embassies.html
On the picture H. E. Marina Kaljurand 2011. Photography By Lawrence Jackson at the Oval Office USA.
Since 16 July 2015, Mrs Marina Kaljurand (née Rajevskaja)has been serving as Estonian Foreign Minister.
The career diplomat worked as the Foreign Ministry’s Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs, and previous to it as the Undersecretary for Political Affairs before her ministerial appointment. She was also the Estonian expert at the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Cyber Security.
Her latest ambassadorship was between 2011 and 2014 to Washington D.C. with co-accreditations to Mexico and Canada (up to 2013).
Estonia has three representations in Brussels. One bilateral mission dealing with Belgium, Luxembourg as well as Switzerland headed by HE Ambassador Gert Antsu, the Permanent Representation led by HE Ambassador Matti Maasikas as well as one vis-à-vis NATO headed by HE Ambassador Lauri Lepik.
The mission in The Hague covers The Netherlands as well as the OPCW. The latter embassy is headed by HE Ambassador Peep Jahilo.
For more information
Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://valitsus.ee/en/minister-foreign-affairs-marina-kaljurand
Embassy of Estonia to Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and San Marino: www.estemb.be/
Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU: www.eu.estemb.be/eng/permanent_representation
Permanent Representation of Estonia to NATO: www.estnato.be/about_us
Embassy of Estonia to The Netherlands: www.estemb.nl/
On the picture EU Commission’s President Jean Claude Juncker, the President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto and President Donald Tusk, from the European Council.
On Friday 12 June, the 7th EU-Mexico Summit took place in Brussels. The EU was represented by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. President Enrique Peña Nieto represented Mexico. This was the first EU-Mexico Summit for all three leaders. President Juncker said: “We are working hard in order to be able to conclude an agreement on the Passenger Name Record between Mexico and the EU which is of highest importance for Mexico”.
Mexico’s Foreign Secretary José Antonio Meade Kuribreña and Federica Mogherini, EU’s HRFASP.
The EU-Mexico Summit prepared the ground for a modernisation of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement, reaffirmed the like-mindedness on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues, and therefore improved the relationship between the EU and Mexico across the board. Global issues such as climate change, the post-2015 sustainable development agenda and the challenges related to drug trafficking were also discussed.
HE Ambassador Juan José Gómez Camacho heads the mission to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg.
For more information
Mission of Mexico to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg: http://embamex.sre.gob.mx/belgica/
Joint statement EU-Mexico: www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2015/06/12-eu-mexico-summit-final-statement/
On the picture H. E. Sidiki Kaba and Son Excellence Uhuru Kenyatta, President du Kenya. Le Président de l’Assemblée des États Parties au Statut de Rome (« l’Assemblée ») de la Cour pénale internationale (« la Cour »), S.E. M. Sidiki Kaba, a effectué, les 11 et 12 août 2015, une visite de travail au Kenya où il a rencontré des autorités du pays. Le Président Kaba a tenu, le 11 août 2015, des réunions avec S.E. Dr. Amina Mohammed, Ministre des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international et S.E. M. Githu Muigal, Procureur général, avec qui il a échangé sur différents points concernant les relations entre le Kenya et l’Assemblée des Etats parties.Aussi, le 12 août 2015, le President Kaba a été reçu par Son Excellence Monsieur Uhuru Kenyatta, Président de la République du Kenya, à qui il a présenté son programme de travail, tout en réitérant l’importance de la restauration de la confiance entre l’Afrique et la Cour, du renforcement de la complémentarité, de la coopération avec la Cour et de l’universalité du Statut de Rome. À l’issue de cette visite, qui fait partie d’une série de voyages officiels qu’il entreprend en Afrique, le Président Kaba a déclaré :« Je remercie le Gouvernement du Kenya pour l’invitation et me réjouis des discussions franches et ouvertes que nous avons pu avoir. En raison de l’importance de la Cour pénale internationale dans la prévention et la répression de crimes de masse, je réitère mon engagement à travailler avec tous les États parties pour créer de meilleures conditions de dialogue au sein de l’Assemblée afin d’atteindre les objectifs de lutte contre l’impunité, de renforcement de l’Etat de droit et de prise en compte des intérêts des victimes ».
On the picture Con Brio Band.Embassy Festival in The Hague this year on Saturday 5 SeptemberTerakaft, Con Brio, La Chiva Gantiva and many others set to sizzle on the Lange Voorhout On Saturday, 5 September 2015 the third edition of the (free entry) Embassy Festival will be taking place on the picturesque Lange Voorhout in downtown The Hague, an event that spotlights the many different cultures residing in the city through an internationally appealing one-day programme. Two outdoor stages, numerous pavilions, a creative arena and a kids compound bring the world together in an international festival spotlighting cultural and culinary expressions that span the globe.
Alongside an inspiring musical programme, the Embassy Festival offers visitors an intimate event featuring art, dance and a cultural culinary experience. Various children’s activities allow younger festival goers to experience various cultures and open their eyes to different activities and ways of playing.
The musical programme offers a rich palette of currents from across the globe. Two carrousel podiums will be resonating with different musical genres throughout the afternoon. Highlights on the classical podium include Dutch harp superstar Gwyneth Wentink, celebrated Georgian concert pianist Nino Gvetadze, and Greek mega-diva, soprano Myrsini Margariti. Pop fans can make their way to the pop podium on the other side of the festival terrain, where elements of desert rock, funk, soul, jazz and indie pop from the most diverse countries intertwine in an innovative and, at times unexpected, programme.
All the way from Mali, Terakaft (with band members having formerly played in the legendary group Tinariwen) will be captivating their audience with a desert blues act during this third festival edition. Terakaft takes visitors on a mesmerising journey through the desert where bewitching percussive and lyrical guitar playing are faithful companions. A unique experience for anyone who is open to the musical heritage of the Touareg.
The American band Con Brio also make an appearance at this year’s Embassy Festival. This act scored big in the US showcase festival SXSW and had never been to Europe before. The Hague had a scoop with Con Brio giving us a steaming cocktail of soul and funk in the best tradition of James Brown, Prince and D’Angelo! With the charismatic and talented Ziek McCarter as the undisputed front- and showman.
La Chiva Gantiva (Colombia, Vietnam, Belgium, France) have made a name for themselves at festivals including Down The Rabbit Hole, Mundial and Dour and this year grace the Embassy Festival stages. With an explosive show featuring of Afro-Colombian rhythms, rock, funk and rap this international collective are sure to make waves in the music world. Fans of bands such as Manu Chao and Che Sudaka will enjoy Con Brio.
The collective Ti-an-guis features musicians from Mexico, Croatia, Portugal and Greece. Especially for this Embassy Festival edition, the group bring traditional Mexican songs into the limelight in a non-traditional and exciting way.
The international ensemble Arifa will be bringing mesmerising cinematic music to the Embassy Festival stage. With members from Romania, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands, the group performs ancient musical traditions of the Middle East and the Balkans, laced with jazz improvisation and a Western approach.
More exciting acts, both pop and classical, will complete the line-up of Embassy Festival and will be announced soon.
The Hague has every right to call itself an international city. With the presence of the many embassies, NGOs and multinationals the city enjoys continuous interaction with the rest of the world. The third edition of the Embassy Festival shows a beautiful compilation of international culture that can be seen, heard and tasted in The Hague.
The Embassy Festival is organised by PROOOST, the driving force behind the successful LIFE I LIVE Festival in The Hague.
EMBASSY FESTIVAL | SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2015 | 12:00 – 21:00 |LANGE VOORHOUT, THE HAGUE | FREE ENTRY
For further information about the festival: WWW.EMBASSYFESTIVAL.COM
On the picture Ambassador Victoria Bataclan posing with the students.
Brussels, 10 August 2015. — Some 40 Japanese, Korean and Belgian international politics students visited the Embassy last August 7 as part of the activities of the European Summer Academy of Otzenhausen (Germany) to learn more about the Philippines’ engagement with the European Union.
As requested by the students’ professors, Ambassador Victoria S. Bataclan delivered a presentation/briefing on the “Regional Integration and Cooperation – the EU and Asia in 2015,” specifically outlining the Philippine involvement in EU programmes and other ASEAN and international organization issues followed by a discussion of issues confronting the Philippines and the EU, the ASEAN and the international organizations. Ambassador Bataclan announced that the Philippines is now a net creditor of the International Monetary Fund and has received very favorable ratings from all credit rating institutions.
Ambassador Victoria Bataclan with the Japanese, Korean and Belgian international politics students .
The delegation, led by Prof. Sebastian Zeitzmann of the European Academy of Otzenhausen, was composed of 18 Japanese master’s students in German and European studies with focus on politics, economics, culture, arts and languages from the University of Tokyo; 10 Korean master’s students in politics and international students; and 12 Belgian undergraduate students from the Ghent University. Prof. Dr. Yuichi Morii of the University of Tokyo, Prof. Thomas Kalinowski of Seoul, Ms. Lisa Fetzer of the European Academy and Dr. Wolfgang Pape of the European Commission accompanied the group.
Prof. Zeitzmann confided that the visit of the participants of the European Spring Academy in May 2014 to Brussels Philippine Embassy left a lasting imprint because of “genuinely warm” reception which the participants then received from Ambassador Bataclan and her team. Thus, they decided that the European Summer Academy 2015 also experience the hospitality of the Philippine Embassy in Brussels.
The European Summer Academy 2015 runs from 02 to 12 August 2015 and is a collaborative venture of the European Academy of Otzenhausen (EAO), the ASKO Europa-Stiftung (AES) of Saarbrücken, the University of Tokyo, the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, the Centre International de Formation Européene (CIFE) in Nice, the Europa-Institut of Saarland University, and the University of Ghent in Belgium. The programme includes visits to the ASKO-Europa Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the European Parliament, and the European Commission.
For more information:
Mission of the Philippines to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg: http://philembassy.be/
Europa-Institut of Saarland University: www.europainstitut.de/
European Academy of Otzenhausen: www.citizensforeurope.eu/organisation/european-academy-otzenhausen
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Text and photographs by Embassy of the Philippines to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg (www.facebook.com/philippineembassy.brussels)
by other States Parties.
All the way from Mali, Terakaft (with band members having formerly played in the legendary group Tinariwen) will be captivating their audience with a desert blues act during this third festival edition. Terakaft takes visitors on a mesmerising journey through the desert where bewitching percussive and lyrical guitar playing are faithful companions. A unique experience for anyone who is open to the musical heritage of the Touareg.
The American band Con Brio also make an appearance at this year’s Embassy Festival. This act scored big in the US showcase festival SXSW and had never been to Europe before. The Hague had a scoop with Con Brio giving us a steaming cocktail of soul and funk in the best tradition of James Brown, Prince and D’Angelo! With the charismatic and talented Ziek McCarter as the undisputed front- and showman.
La Chiva Gantiva (Colombia, Vietnam, Belgium, France) have made a name for themselves at festivals including Down The Rabbit Hole, Mundial and Dour and this year grace the Embassy Festival stages. With an explosive show featuring of Afro-Colombian rhythms, rock, funk and rap this international collective are sure to make waves in the music world. Fans of bands such as Manu Chao and Che Sudaka will enjoy Con Brio.
The collective Ti-an-guis features musicians from Mexico, Croatia, Portugal and Greece. Especially for this Embassy Festival edition, the group bring traditional Mexican songs into the limelight in a non-traditional and exciting way.
The international ensemble Arifa will be bringing mesmerising cinematic music to the Embassy Festival stage. With members from Romania, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands, the group performs ancient musical traditions of the Middle East and the Balkans, laced with jazz improvisation and a Western approach.
More exciting acts, both pop and classical, will complete the line-up of Embassy Festival and will be announced soon.
The Hague has every right to call itself an international city. With the presence of the many embassies, NGOs and multinationals the city enjoys continuous interaction with the rest of the world. The third edition of the Embassy Festival shows a beautiful compilation of international culture that can be seen, heard and tasted in The Hague.
The Embassy Festival is organised by PROOOST, the driving force behind the successful LIFE I LIVE Festival in The Hague.
EMBASSY FESTIVAL | SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2015 | 12:00 – 21:00 | LANGE VOORHOUT, THE HAGUE | FREE ENTRY
For further information about the festival: WWW.EMBASSYFESTIVAL.COM
All the way from Mali, Terakaft (with band members having formerly played in the legendary group Tinariwen) will be captivating their audience with a desert blues act during this third festival edition. Terakaft takes visitors on a mesmerising journey through the desert where bewitching percussive and lyrical guitar playing are faithful companions. A unique experience for anyone who is open to the musical heritage of the Touareg.
The American band Con Brio also make an appearance at this year’s Embassy Festival. This act scored big in the US showcase festival SXSW and had never been to Europe before. The Hague had a scoop with Con Brio giving us a steaming cocktail of soul and funk in the best tradition of James Brown, Prince and D’Angelo! With the charismatic and talented Ziek McCarter as the undisputed front- and showman.
La Chiva Gantiva (Colombia, Vietnam, Belgium, France) have made a name for themselves at festivals including Down The Rabbit Hole, Mundial and Dour and this year grace the Embassy Festival stages. With an explosive show featuring of Afro-Colombian rhythms, rock, funk and rap this international collective are sure to make waves in the music world. Fans of bands such as Manu Chao and Che Sudaka will enjoy Con Brio.
The collective Ti-an-guis features musicians from Mexico, Croatia, Portugal and Greece. Especially for this Embassy Festival edition, the group bring traditional Mexican songs into the limelight in a non-traditional and exciting way.
The international ensemble Arifa will be bringing mesmerising cinematic music to the Embassy Festival stage. With members from Romania, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands, the group performs ancient musical traditions of the Middle East and the Balkans, laced with jazz improvisation and a Western approach.
More exciting acts, both pop and classical, will complete the line-up of Embassy Festival and will be announced soon.
The Hague has every right to call itself an international city. With the presence of the many embassies, NGOs and multinationals the city enjoys continuous interaction with the rest of the world. The third edition of the Embassy Festival shows a beautiful compilation of international culture that can be seen, heard and tasted in The Hague.
The Embassy Festival is organised by PROOOST, the driving force behind the successful LIFE I LIVE Festival in The Hague.
EMBASSY FESTIVAL | SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2015 | 12:00 – 21:00 | LANGE VOORHOUT, THE HAGUE | FREE ENTRY
For further information about the festival: WWW.EMBASSYFESTIVAL.COM
