Poetry and prose in diplomacy

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Poetry and prose in diplomacy
 By Biljana Scott. Professor at Oxford University, Senior Lecturer at DiploFoundation and Visiting Professor at the London Academy of Diplomacy. ‘To campaign in poetry and govern in prose’[1] is a pithy adage known as a chiasmus: a rhetorical construction in which the second part of a sentence reverses the key words of the first part, and in so doing, redresses the initial proposition with a more desirable world view. The chiasmus is frequent in motivational speeches, and is often the device which makes a speech memorable.[2] Remember Kennedy’s ‘Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate’, and ‘Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country’.[3] And on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’, we all recall his words: ‘I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.’ [4] In addition to King’s refrains, which captivate attention through rousing rhythms, his speech is perhaps most memorable because he ushers, with every dream, a vision of the future which redresses the reality of today, and does so in heightened language. This is evident in the alliteration of /k/ and also in the rhythm of the final clause ‘by the color of their skin …’ which is strongly iambic up to the last word ‘character’, which takes a stress on every syllable for added emphasis. Whereas the poetical language of motivational speeches may seem better suited to politics than diplomacy, aspiration and redress are nevertheless central to diplomacy too. Where agreement cannot be found in the present, a shift of focus to the future may break through the current impasse: we all aspire to a better world for our children. And where the future seems too distant, we appeal to the values which define and guide us. The chiasmus ‘campaign in poetry; govern in prose’ is particularly well suited to diplomacy, which campaigns for redress, yet does so with an attention to detail which may appear as prosaic at times. Without the poetry, there is no vision or momentum, yet without prose, there is no progress.

[1] Used by Hilary Clinton during the 2008 US presidential election campaign, this adage was originally coined by Governor Mario Cuomo. http://www.dmiblog.com/archives/2007/09/campaign_in_poetry_govern_in_p.html
[2] For a discussion of the importance of the chiasmus to politics, see my article The Cadence of Counterbalance
[3] Delivered on Friday, January 20, 1961. Available online at http://www.americanrhetoric.com/
[4] Delivered at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC, 28 August 1963. Speeches that Changed the World 2007:149-155, and available online at: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/

Colombia, “the best Spanish” !

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Colombia, “the best Spanish” !
                            By: Eduardo Pizarro Leon gómez, Ambassador of Colombia

“To learn the best Spanish in the world, the answer is Colombia!”

The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) is celebrating its 300th year anniversary. It was founded by the Marquis de Villena and Duke of Escalona, Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco, on 13th February 1713. Its primary function, over the last three centuries, has been to achieve linguistic identity and establish common grammatical rules for those who speak the language of Cervantes and García Márquez: approximately 528 million people worldwide. As we are reminded by the current Director of the Cervantes Institute, Víctor García de la Concha, the greatest risk of linguistic rupture occurred in the nineteenth century, after the independence of Latin American countries. However, the idea of ​​splintering American Spanish and Spanish of Spain, was unsuccessful due to the RAE, which stimulated the creation of their own language academies in the whole region. The first of them was the Colombian Academy of Language, which was established in 1871 and spread like wild fire throughout all Hispanic nations, including the Philippines, whose Academy was founded in 1924. At present we have 22 associations, including the most recent addition, the American Academy of the Spanish Language which was founded in 1973, after the expansion of the Hispanic population in the United States. Spanish is now the world’s second language -following Mandarin Chinese- if we consider the number of those who are native speakers: 420 million people. This figure rises to 528 million people if we add those who have learned it as a second or foreign language. From this new perspective it is the third language in the world after Mandarin and English. Spanish is also one of the six official languages ​​of the United Nations. To stimulate learning Spanish, the government of Colombia recently presented the portal www.spanishincolombia.gov.co through which it seeks to turn the country into a major destination for foreigners who want to learn this beautiful and influential language. The International System of Certification of Spanish as a Foreign Language (Sicele) recognizes 77 institutions in Latin America and Spain with regular courses; 34 of which are in Spain, while the remaining 43 are located in Latin America, 20 of them in Colombia, a country that enjoys enormous prestige thanks to the quality of its Spanish. This reputation has become the motto of the national government to encourage learning Spanish in our country: “To learn the best Spanish in the World, the answer is Colombia!”.

Egypt in and out of the comfort zone

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Egypt in and out of the comfort zone

By Peter Knoope. The news coming out of Egypt these days seems to be discomforting all of us. Whatever side one is on, the events seem are troubling and worrying almost everybody. The US is debating whether it should stop its military assistance, the EU is calling for a negotiated settlement of the dispute, neighbouring states are worried about potential spill over and last but not least the Egyptian population wants stability and progress for their troubled country. But the crisis continues as we speak. Some forces keep the momentum going. Once the chain of events is set in motion there are always forces to keep that chain moving forward. This is partly due to the incapacity to control human need for revenge, but also because there are always some actors that stand to benefit from the crisis. So the question is who is the winner? Who profits from the political and humanitarian crisis? Some would claim that the Egyptian Muslim brotherhood has, over the years, adopted the colour and characteristics that are inherently connected to their real position in the Egyptian political environment: the underdog, the eternal opposition, the forbidden lot. Just like the camouflage of a chameleon, the organisation has adopted the colours that best suited its position in the Egyptian landscape. When voted into power in Egypt, the brotherhood had the advantage of being well-organised and well-rooted in Egyptian society. Sure, it also attracted those who opposed and those who protested it. A serious question therefore is whether the long history of being in opposition and an outsider position goes well with the requirements of leading a nation and governing the state machinery. There is much to be said about the quality of governance under the short but turbulent rule of the brotherhood in Egypt. Allow me to be brief on this topic but let me just remind the reader of the discomfort of almost all parties in Egypt with the way the country was run during that period. Salafists, Christians and other minorities were as unhappy as the majority of Egyptians in the cities. The way the brotherhood handled international non-governmental organisations is probably indicative of the way they managed the country: inexperienced and with little knowledge of the concept of inclusiveness as a basis for democratic leadership. What else could one expect from the traditional outsider and underdog? Recent weeks have shown the revival of the brotherhood as the underdog. Is this the brotherhood returning to their comfort zone? Nothing can justify the mass violence by the army against citizens of Egypt. I hardly think that someone can claim that the violence against demonstrators was proportionate in light of what Morsi’s followers were up to. But fact is that it catapults them back into the position that they had grown accustomed to. The Egyptian army claims that the violence was provoked by demonstrators. We saw the footage to proof it. At least some of it is true. The brotherhood certainly has some soul searching to do – were they really at ease in the position of the ruling party? Apparently very few others were. Now we all wonder what will be next. We may very well see a coalition emerging with that other eternal outsider and underdog. Al Qaeda will be more than pleased to align itself now that that position becomes more evident. They are the other champion of turning a loss into a victory, where a corps is a martyr, where a lost child is defined as eternal fame is waiting to step in. They may very well build on present frustrations, exploit the chaos and power vacuum, and profit from the current state of affairs to recruit and gain a position that they had not been able to gain for a long time in Egypt. And that scenario will bring everybody out of the comfort zone; not only Egyptians but also many others. In other words what is taking place in Egypt is a major headache for the US, EU, neighbouring states and many Egyptians. It may have brought just one actor back into its comfort zone but is has produced frowns and discomfort to all others.

Celebrating Mexico

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Celebrating Mexico

By Eduardo Ibarrola, Ambassador of Mexico.

Every year, on September 16, Mexicans commemorate the beginning of the Mexican Independence War. Traditionally, on the evening of September 15, the President addresses the nation from the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City to reenact the moment, back in 1810, when priest Miguel Hidalgo -the Father of the Nation- called Mexicans to the uprising in the small town of Dolores, now located in the beautiful state of Guanajuato. Since its birth as an independent nation, Mexico has faced various challenges that defined its character both domestically and in the international arena. It hasn’t been easy, but today Mexico is a multiparty democracy, with an important network for the protection of human rights and public information access; a deep industrialization process and free trade; our country is an attractive destination for investment and international tourism. In the international arena, Mexico became a prominent actor in the promotion of international law and an active participant in topics like disarmament, free-trade, climate change and the fight against transnational organized crime. With the commemoration of the “Grito de Dolores” we also celebrate our unity, which is the key for our progress. President Enrique Peña-Nieto acknowledges this. That’s why -through the “Pact for Mexico”- his administration works under an unprecedented agreement with the main political parties in order to achieve the structural reforms that Mexico needs to become the prosperous and equalitarian country that every Mexican citizen deserves. In only 9 months, this new governmental approach has already achieved a constitutional framework for an important reform that will increase the quality of the education and also a telecommunications reform that will open the country for a more competitive process. Other examples are the promulgation of the Law for the Protection of Crime Victims and the Crusade against Hunger. Moreover, a very important initiative in energy has already been presented before Congress for discussion. In September is time to celebrate Mexico, not only for our past but also for our present and future. And as long as we remain united and working for our common wellbeing, we will have good reasons to say out loud: Viva México!

«Constellation of Russia», outstanding success

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Special report from the Embassy of Russia in The Netherlands. One of the most colorful events of the Russian-Dutch Bilateral Year programme – the Festival of National Culture “Constellation of Russia” took place on 24 August in Vlissingen and on 25 August in Amsterdam. Festival opening in Vlissingen harbor that hosted a training ship  Mir (“Peace”) of the RussianStateSailingAcademy attracted hundreds of people. The cloudy ambiance of the dull weather was dispelled by beautiful sunshiny performances of the Russian dance and music folk groups, though umbrellas proved to be particularly useful as well.
The gala-concert of the Festival held on 25 August at Museumplein in Amsterdam was highlighted by performances of the Russian legendary Pyatnitsky State Academic Russian Folk Choir, the Igor Moiseev State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble, the Russian State Northern folk choir, the State Dance Ensemble “Vainakh” (Chechen Republic), the State Kalmyk Dance and Song Ensemble “Tyulpan” (“Tulip”) and many others. A numerous audience warmly welcomed the artists and unanimously sang the famous “Aan de Amsterdamse Grachten” song performed by the Pyatnitsky Choir. The Festival was organized by the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (in Russian known as Rossotrudnichestvo http://rs.gov.ru/) and supported by the Embassy and the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

EU Financial Transparency

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EU reporting requirements set to enhance financial transparency in the extractive sector

By Steffen van der Velde LL.M. Researcher, T.M.C. Asser Instituut

Large companies active in the extractive sector dealing with oil, gas and minerals and loggers of primary forests have recently been subjected to new EU-rules on disclosure of payments made to national governments for projects they operate. The new rules, introduced as an amendment to the pre-existing ‘Accounting-Directives’, aim to make companies dealing with strategic resources and governments more accountable. Especially developing countries, rich in mineral raw material, are expected to benefit greatly from the new rules. Many developing countries, experience difficulties in maximizing the benefits of the exploitation of their mineral wealth, since they lack the governance frameworks necessary to ensure a sustainable contribution of the mining industry to their development as a whole. To illustrate, over 50% of the major known mineral reserves is located in countries whit a per capita gross national income of $ 10 per day or less.[2] Mining is thus of particular relevance to these countries, for it can catalyse broad-based economic development and reduce poverty. In short, mining activities should maximize social and economic benefits, for present and future generations, as well as effectively address negative environmental and social impacts, while any regulatory framework should aim for improvement of accountability and transparency to prevent illicit financial flows from mining activities.[3] The scope of the new rules So far, the foreign extractive industry has benefitted from the regulatory vacuum in developing countries and flourished in the absence of strong regulations on fiscal, social and environmental matters. To counter this development, and in line with earlier adopted legislation by the US Government, more specifically Section 1504 Dodd-Frank Act,[4] the European Union established its own new transparency rules. Combined, the US and EU legislation encompasses a majority of the world’s largest mining companies. In brief, the new Directive,[5] adopted on 26 June 2013 after a long and hard-fought battle between Commission, Parliament, NGO’s and industry lobby groups, requires large undertakings and all public interest entities active in the extractive industry or the logging of primary forest to prepare an annual report on payments made to governments. A ‘large undertaking’ is defined as a company which exceeds at least two of the following three criteria: a balance sheet total of € 20 million; a net turnover of € 40 million; and an average number of employees during the financial year of 250.[6] Any taxes, royalties, dividends, bonuses, licence fees or payments for infrastructure improvement exceeding € 100,000.-, aimed at engaging in the exploration, prospecting, discovery, development and extraction of natural resources would constitute a ‘payment’ under the Directive.[7] The Report should include the total amount of payments made to each government; and if specifiable, the total amount per type of payment attributable to separate projects.[8] logo_asser_horizontal (3) NGO’s vs. industry According to Global Witness, a strong proponent of the EU’s enhanced transparency legislation, ‘countries will be able to see where the money generated from their natural resources is going, and therefore ensure it is better used for their benefit’. Furthermore, the NGO commented that the new legislation ‘represents a defeat for […] industry lobbyists in their attempts to stifle the establishment of a global transparency standard in the extractives sector’.[9] Quite contrarily, Business Europe, a lobbyist which represents more than 20 million companies from 35 countries, is not convinced of the effectiveness of the Directive’s new transparency rules. The organisation believes that ‘this proposal will create red tape and further disadvantage for a large number of European businesses in international markets, running counter to the urgent necessity of re-establishing the conditions for confidence and competitiveness in Europe’. Furthermore, they claim that the EU is ‘running the risk of demotivating all companies that have embarked on genuine Corporate Social Responsibility activities on their own’.[10] NGO’s have countered this last argument by claiming that, so far, voluntary reporting standards have not delivered the desired results or were able to enhance the contribution of the mining sector to sustainable development in developing countries.   Will the new rules work? Enhancing financial transparency in the extractive sector is a necessary prerequisite to create a more sustainable contribution of the mining sector to general economic performance, especially in developing countries. Still, the new transparency rules solve only one part of the puzzle. For more inclusive sustainable development of resource-rich developing countries to be realized, attention should also be paid to non-financial performance indicators. Here, the Directive still displays shortcomings, and only requires inclusion of such other performance indicators relating to environmental and employee matters ‘to the extent necessary for an understanding of the undertaking’s development, performance or position’.[11] It is not specified in the Directive when this is the case. Another matter of concern is that the new rules only apply to ‘large undertakings’, often listed on one or more stock exchanges. Such companies are accountable to their shareholders, lenders, and generally attract more publicity and attention from the media and NGO’s, resulting in a tendency to conform better to internationally agreed principles or sustainable development standards than smaller, non-listed, mining companies.[12] Their exclusion from the scope of the transparency rules will have to be reflected upon by the European Commission in its first implementation report, to be submitted in 2018. Nevertheless, the new reporting requirements represent a major first step in binding EU extractive companies active in developing countries to stricter sustainable development standards, albeit primarily focussed on enhancing financial transparency. The first reports on payments to governments are expected to be filed in 2017, after the Directive has been transposed into national law by the Member States.  
[1] Steffen van der Velde, LL.M. is researcher EU Law at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, The Hague. He is currently writing his PhD, which covers the regulation of EU mining companies active in developing countries and their contribution to sustainable development.
[2] COM(2008)699, The raw materials initiative, Brussels, 4 October 2008, p. 5.
[3] Rio +20 final outcome document, The future we want, par. 227-228.
[5] Directive 2013/34 of the European Parliament and of the Council, on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings, 26 June 2013, Brussels. Hereafter: Directive.
[6] Article 3(4) Directive.
[7] Article 41(5) Directive.
[8] Article 43(2) Directive.
[11] Article 19(1) Directive.
[12] Polinares Working Paper n. 56, The institutional framework for access to mineral resources, December 2012, p. 15, http://www.polinares.eu/docs/d4-1/polinares_wp4_chapter6.pdf, retrieved 26 August 2013.

Europe’s ABC?

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Europe’s ABC?
By Richard T. Griffiths, (Associate Editor Diplomat Magazine and Professor International  Studies, LeidenUniversity). Last April, an article appeared in the Financial Times examining US foreign trade policy. It observed that the US was simultaneously initiating free-trade talks with the EU and expanding the Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative to include Japan. The striking feature of this burst of activity was the absence of China. “The new trade approach”, it argued, “might be characterised as ABC – Anyone But China.” The article started a discussion that was still reverberating in the Chinese press four months later, when I was in Beijing. I was surprised when, at an international conference there, I was asked about Europe’s ABC. Until that moment, the thought had not occurred to me. It is well-known that until recently, the EU expended a disproportionate amount of political capital and diplomatic effort in concluding trade deals with (combinations of) countries with which it has little commercial dealings. This emphasis has since shifted, but fully-fledged negotiations with China have yet to commence. The official EU explanation is that until China meets its WTO obligations more fully, more wide-reaching negotiations would be futile. However, not all countries are likely to remain so high-minded, for ever. At that point, we will be on the outside looking in rather than on the inside looking out. Last year, China and the EU were each other’s most important foreign supplier of imported goods. China is also the EU’s fastest growing export market. The Netherlands is in the vanguard of  these developments. According to the Chinese data, in each case after Germany, it is the largest European trading partner, the largest European recipient of Chinese investment and the largest European investor in China. It is true that the service sector still lags far behind and that trade and investment opportunities in China are hampered by domestic practices and by state companies. But these are surely reasons at least to start meaningful negotiations. At that conference I was also reminded that China’s attention was not always oriented towards Asia and the Pacific. Two millennia ago began the old ‘silk-road’ that had once linked Europe and Chinese civilisations. It could do so again. Since 2012 freight-trains have been trundling along the 11,179 kms of railway linking Chongqing in the East to the Dutch border, in the West. Already these have cut the transport times from five weeks by sea to three weeks by rail and, for the moment, they have eliminated the dangers of piracy. Rail transport is seven times cheaper than air freight and is far less polluting. During my stay, the newspaper headlines were celebrating the heroic work in building the new high-speed rail line for the 1176 kms Lanzsu-Xinjiang section that, when opened in 2014, would slash the total journey time to sixteen days. At a time when the new “iron silk road” is promising to reduce physical barriers to increased commerce, it would be short-sighted indeed to allow the invisible barriers to trade and finance remain in place. Only the EU can initiate and conduct such negotiations. The Netherlands, as a founder-member, should nudge it in t hat direction.

TUNISIA , Building a New Democracy

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TUNISIA , Building a New Democracy

By Karim BEN BECHER, Ambassador of  Tunisia to the Netherlands.

  Tunisia, the cradle of many civilisations in the Mediterranean region, was long been considered as a land of tolerance, culture and mutual understanding. Located in North Africa, Tunisia has a long history dating back to Carthage, a population of over 10 million, and a diversified economy. The country has one of the highest standards of living on the continent and a well established tradition of tolerance and hospitality. Although Tunisia does not have big reserves of hydrocarbons, manufacturing industry, tourism, and agriculture have been most developed. Having a green landscape in the north, sandy beaches on the coast side and a lunar like landscape in the south, Tunisia has indeed a great environmental diversity and became a renowned tourist destination The country achieved its independence in 1956, and founded its first republic under the leadership of Habib Bourguiba, the first Tunisian President. A Code of Personal Status was adopted which set forth a prominent legal status for women allowing them to run and own businesses, have bank accounts, and passports. The code abolished polygamy and repudiation. Further reforms in 2010 allowed Tunisian women to give citizenship to their children even if they are married to a foreigner and living abroad. The Code of Personal Status is one of the most progressive civil codes in the Middle East and the Muslim world. An important birth control policy resulted in a low population growth rate, just over 1% per annum, contributing to economic and social stability. On January 14th 2011, a popular uprising ousted the former President Ben Ali who took over the presidency in November 1987, and set up a corrupt and authoritarian regime. Expectations were high. Dignity, liberty and justice for all, were the main leitmotivs. It was also the spark of the Arab Spring. In fact, it was a `Jasmine Revolution` that resulted in a smooth transition process to democracy, a sui generis revolution without revenge or much bloodshed. Tunisia is a pioneer of the Arab spring. A National Constituent Assembly was elected on October 23rd, 2011 with the task of drafting and adopting a new Constitution and thus building the second Republic in Tunisia. International and national observers declared the vote free and fair. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012, released a second working draft in December 2012. According to the last draft of the Constitution of June 1st 2013, the political and juridical system is to be based on the civilian character of the state, the rule of law, the sovereignty of the people, free and fair elections, the separation and balance of powers, gender equality, the respect of freedoms and human rights, the freedom of expression and conscience, and the independence of the Justice. The political scene is no more dominated by a single political party. Multiparty system is nowadays a reality. Since the revolution the number of political parties in Tunisia  has grown over one hundred. The Government led by Prime Minister Ali Larayedh has proposed presidential and parliamentary elections be held by the end of 2013. The political parties inside the Constituent Assembly making efforts in order to adopt the new Constitution by October 2013. Thanks to the high level of education of its population, its openness and its consensus building system, Tunisia is in a position to succeed in its democratic transition process and to establish a democratic regime based on good governance and the rule of law. Political, economic and social challenges remain high. Building consensus on the political level, fostering stability and security, tackling a high rate of unemployment and uneven regional development, boosting investment and economic recovery, and managing social unease, are the main concerns of the country. Tunisia now is an export-oriented country in the process of liberalizing, privatizing the economy and boosting investment. A new investment code is under way that would promote the private initiative and give new incentives to local and foreign investors. The Tunisian economy ranges from agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and petroleum products, to tourism. The industrial sector is mainly made up of manufacturing textile products, car parts, and electric machinery. Although Tunisia managed an average 5% growth over the last decade it continues to suffer from a high unemployment rate especially among youth. In 2009, the country was ranked the most competitive economy in Africa and the 40th in the world by the World Economic Forum. Many international companies such as Airbus established there their production units. Tourism accounted for 7% of GDP and 370,000 jobs in the same year. Tunisia is a prominent and popular tourist destination in the Mediterranean region ranking among the first thirty destinations worldwide. It receives annually about seven million tourists. It offers a diversity of tourist attractions and a particularly competitive infrastructure. Tunisia is a safe destination, a heaven of peace and development in an ever changing world. Improving service quality, promoting an adequate investment climate, creating innovative services, establishing high standard units, managing training programs for skilled professionals and targeting a ten million tourist entries per year, are the main priorities of the tourism sector. Popular tourist attractions are golden beaches, a wide array of heath and wellness resorts, golf sites desert hotel resorts, and also famous archaeological sites . Tunisia ranks among the best destinations for heath and wellness in the world. In 2012, 61 thousand Dutch tourists chose Tunisia as their favourite destination. The aim is to reach one hundred thousand Dutch visitors per year. There are nine civil airports in Tunisia, among them Tunis-Carthage Airport and Djerba–Zarzis International Airports being the most important ones. the new airport, Enfidha International Airport, opened in 2011. Plans to build logistic sites for land and sea transport are under way. As far as energy is concerned, there are plans for two nuclear power stations, to be operational by 2020. Both facilities are projected to produce 900–1000 MW. The Desertec project is a large-scale energy project aimed at installing solar power panels in Tunisia and other north African countries and make power line connections with Europe. The European Union is Tunisia’s first trading partner, currently accounting for about 70% of Tunisian imports and 75% of Tunisian exports. It is one of the European Union’s most established trading partners in the Mediterranean region  ranking as the EU’s 30th largest trading partner. It was the first Mediterranean country to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union, in July 1995. Before the date of entry came into force, Tunisia started dismantling tariffs on bilateral EU trade and achieved the tariffs dismantling for industrial products in 2008 and was thus the first Mediterranean country to enter in a free trade area with the EU. With the Netherlands, Tunisia has developed fruitful cooperation relations. During the second half of the last century Netherlands was among the most important developing partners of Tunisia. After the revolution, the Government of the Netherlands was one of the first European countries to extend their support to the transition process in Tunisia. The former Minister of Foreign Affairs Uri Rosenthal, paid an official visit to Tunis in may 2011. In the framework of the Community of Democracies, Netherlands took the co-presidency of its task force for Tunisia. Foreign Affairs Minister Frans Timmermans, paid in June 2013, an official visit to Tunisia. He met with senior government officials expressing his support to the democratic transition process. Confirming its commitment to the protection and further development of the freedom of expression, the Government of Tunisia co-organised, in close cooperation with the “Freedom Online Coalition”, the third conference “Freedon online, Tunis 2013” in Tunis, from June 16th  to 18th, 2013, with the attendance of 400 representatives. From the outset of its revolution, Tunisia has stressed its commitment to international law and international justice as pillars of peace and security in the world, and adhered in June 22nd, 2011 to the International Criminal Court, actively contributing to the success of its work. Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the Court paid recently an official visit to Tunisia, and met with senior Government officials in order to further strengthen cooperation relations between the two sides. On this occasion, meetings were also organized with representatives of civil society, the Bar and the Judiciary. Tunisia has constantly stressed its commitment to disarmament and non-proliferation of mass destruction arms such as chemical weapons, and contributes actively to the OPCW`s cooperation, assistance and protection programs. In this framework, the Government of Tunisia hosted the third international Assistance and Protection Exercise (ASSISTEX 3), in Tunis, October 11th -15th,2010 with the participation of more than 400 specialists from 11 States Parties. It was an exercise aiming to increase awareness and preparation in providing assistance and protection in case of a terrorist attack with chemical weapons against civilians.  On the domestic level, Tunisia is to lay the foundations of a republican regime based on democracy, human rights and human dignity and, plays a positive and active role on the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels in order to contribute to building and strengthening trust, cooperation relations and mutual understanding. Furthermore, Tunisia gives a particular interest to the restitution of ill-gotten assets looted and smuggled abroad by corrupt members of the ancient regime and their extradition. Economic diplomacy is getting an increasing interest. In the framework of supporting national efforts in attracting foreign investment contributing to the creation of new job opportunities for young people, and the further development of the interior regions of the country, Tunisia is boosting its economic advantages made up mainly of skilled workers, an attracting legal and cost effective business environment and many government incentives designed to promote business activity. A new investment code is under way aiming to further consolidate and protect investments and thus manage a climate of trust for local and foreign investors.                  

Public Diplomacy is art

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Public Diplomacy is art
By Dr. Eugenio Matos G.  Minister Counselor, Dominican Republic Embassy in The Hague.  In my line of work at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic here in The Hague, 75% of my time is dedicated to excelling in the art of Public Diplomacy.  This is my passion and I have thoroughly enjoyed it since my first official assignment in Montreal in 1986. It was my honor and privilege to have been the first to introduced the concept of this buona pratica which defined the Dominican Public Diplomacy at my embassy in Canada in 2004.  Positive results were quickly achieved in winter 2005 thanks to an open-minded entrepreneur-ambassador and economist. He allowed me to play l’art de la Diplomatie publique in Ottawa, even though it was somewhat outside the box and far from bureaucratic procedures and unproductive traditional diplomatic techniques. With the arrival of a new Head of mission in Ottawa in 2007, I received the green light from my new boss, Dr. Luis Arias, a lawyer, former Dean at the University of Santo Domingo and a prolific writer, to finalize under his supervision what former US Ambassador David Wilkins dubbed “An outstanding Public Diplomacy result for such a small country like the DR”.   H.E. Dr. Alvaro Marcelo Moerzinger, currently Ambassador of Uruguay to The Hague and former ambassador to Canada, witnessed many of our public affairs strategies in Ottawa.  We endeavored to highlight two selected illustrations, one of which was the introduction of “Xmas of the Americas” http://www.artemapale.com/Xmas2007.html  and “Poetry of the Americas” http://www.artemapale.com/poesia.html In the Netherlands, the Dominican Embassy in The Hague has achieved a thriving Public Diplomacy program as part of our foreign policy. In addition to the six top art exhibitions, four concerts, four publications, a new user-friendly bilingual website, and the launch of our first bilateral Chamber of Commerce and trade missions, the subscriber would have never imagined the direct liaison that lies between fine arts and the International Criminal Court*, until this magnificent personal experience https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2013/08/04/international-criminal-justice-day-2/ Video at the ICC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM6dijsEwDI More recently, it was an opportunity to be a participant at the celebrations commemorating the centennial of the PeacePalace last 28 August here in The Hague. I had the privilege not only to salute dignitaries on behalf of my country, but I was also delighted to see how impressed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s wife, Madam Yoo (Ban) Soon-taek, was whilst touring Peace Palace’s permanent art exhibition. Moreover, editor Roy Lee illustrates in this month’s Diplomat Magazine, the initiative of H.E. Haim Divon, Ambassador of Israel, in gathering sportive Head of diplomatic missions to instill a novel Public Diplomacy concept which is quite fitting for The Netherlands called “Cycling Diplomacy”.  Diplomatic colleagues from different embassies concur that a competitive diplomatic mission undoubtedly dictates at least 60% of their agenda as it relates to Public Diplomacy. Sometimes this percentage falls short due to special circumstances, such as during the Inti-Raymi, which was organized at the magnificent Tropenmuseum in  Amsterdam last June. On certain days, participating embassies like Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela have been known to fill most of their agenda with the organization of the Inti-Raymi. It was an extraordinary cultural program which was made possible due to the initiative of H.E. Miguel Eduardo Calahorrano, Ambassador of Ecuador to the Netherlands. Jose Luis Jacome, Counselor at the Embassy of Ecuador, is very enthusiastic about Ecuador’s Diplomacia ciudadana, Ecuador’s Public Diplomacy https://diplomatmagazine.eu/2013/08/04/management-of-public-diplomacy-and-regional-brands/ Public diplomacy is the weapon of mass culture. It is the armor for better country-branding overseas as well as an art of introducing the values of one’s own country to foreign audiences at the receiving State. However, in order to win the hearts and minds of the Dutch, we need to be familiar with Bitterballen, Poffertjes, Hollandse Haring and  l’art des merveilles culinaires des Pays-Bas. Art is a universal language in our search for common ground and an outstanding expression of our shared humanity in an ever changing globalized world. Picture: National Theater of Panama. Pianist Luis Troetsh and soprano Elisa Troetsch Pérez, both  from Panama, and the author with a violin during a gala concert organized by the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Panama, February, 2010, in the presence of the Minister of foreign affairs of Panama, the corps diplomatique and special guests. http://elsoldesantiago.com/2010/03/21671/ *Letter of remerciements from the President of the International Criminal Court:   LETTER.FRM.PRESIDENT.International.Criminal.Court     The author is Honorary Associate Publisher of Diplomat Magazine.

Water Security needs Water Diplomacy

Editor
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Water Security needs Water Diplomacy
By Henk van Schaik, UPEACE Centre The Hague Water is a public good and is a  limited cyclical natural resource that if demand exceeds availability (quantity and quality) needs to be fairly allocated and wisely used if conflict is to be avoided. Increasing demand because of population increases and economic development, increasing wastewater flows due to domestic and industrial use and pollution, and hydrological cycle changes due to phenomena like climate change, increases uncertainties in its future availability and quality. On 23rd of July 2013 the Council of European Union declared in a special press communiqué on water that “During the next decade, tensions and conflicts over access to water are likely to become more frequent and could endanger stability and security in many parts of the world”. In this light, the view that “water is mostly a shared resource that can be a catalyst for cooperation if we work together” (Kofi Annan, January 2002) may need revisiting in the coming decades. While this view maintains its aspiration, its realization will require stepping up of the efforts among all stakeholders towards cooperation. In addition to the availability of water resources, important factors determining water conflicts are the socio-economic conditions and the political context. In practice, water related conflicts are dealt with through informed processes of demand, negotiation, mediation and conciliation. Managing these processes is the field of Water Diplomacy. . Water diplomacy nowadays is more than official discussions involving high- level political and military leaders, known as Type 1 diplomacy. Other types of diplomacy are: unofficial dialogues  and problem-solving activities aimed at building relationships (Type 2); or the buildup of people-to-people relationships at grassroots level undertaken by individuals and private groups. (Type 3). The combination of these three types is known as  “Multitrack diplomacy”. On the 14th and 15th of November 2013, the Water Diplomacy Consortium (The Hague Institute for Global Justice/Clingendael Institute for Foreign Relations, UNESCO-IHE, UPEACE Centre The Hague,  and the Water Governance Centre) supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will organize a high level international Working Conference on Water Security and Peace, that will focus on Water Diplomacy. The Conference will be held in the Peace Palace, The Hague, as part of its centennial celebration[1]. The two day conference on “Water Security and Peace” will bring together water specialists (lawyers, technical experts, water managers, policy makers), politicians and diplomats, with the intention to create a learning moment for Water Diplomacy practitioners at local, regional and global levels.  The conference will compile experiences in water diplomacy and launch an international  hub of experts in water diplomacy to contribute to resolve water related conflicts through negotiation, mediation and conciliation. The conference outcomes will be published in the The Hague Papers for Water Diplomacy.

[1] www.waterdiplomacyconsortium.org
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