By Muhammed Harub Al Said, Ambassador of Oman to the Netherlands. Since His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said ascended the throne in 1970, Oman has pursued a successful programme of economic development and sustainability. In just over four decades His Majesty the architect of the al nahdha (Renaissance), the Sultanate has been transformed from a geographically and politically isolated country with limited resources and rudimentary infrastructure into a prosperous modern society. Currently the world is facing one of the worst economic recession since the great Depression of the previous century. The oil producing countries have been affected by the global economic downturn owing to the oil price volatility. Economists however, are in agreement that global demand for oil will continue to rise well into the foreseeable future. Oman’s oil reserves are modest and current studies reveal that oil may run out in a couple of decades if new wells are not discovered. Another challenge facing the Sultanate is that oil fields are geographically complex making extraction extremely difficult and expensive. This is an area where Dutch companies can seize the opportunity to introduce or market their products that are utilizing enhanced oil recovery techniques. The Omani Government continues to provide incentives for international companies interested in obtaining licences. Oman’s future prosperity and growth include: financial and economic stability, reduction in the role of government in the economy by encouraging and broadening private sector involvement and participation, diversifying the sources of the national income and government revenues, globalizing the Omani economy, upgrading the skills of the Omani workforce, developing and investing in human capital. Dutch companies specialising in technical and engineering or corporate management have enormous opportunities to address Omani requirements. The Sultanate of Oman is presently looking into the potential of renewable energy. Studies reveal that Oman has among the highest level of renewable energy density in the world. The Omani Government believes that there is significant scope for developing solar energy resources throughout the country. Moreover, experts believe that solar energy has the potential to provide sufficient electricity to meet all of Oman’s domestic requirements and even enough to provide some electricity for export. The Netherlands is widely recognized as one of the leading countries in the world that is engaged in the development of innovative technologies. There is tremendous scope for Dutch companies to be involved in the development of solar energy technologies suitable for the Omani environment. Another sector which the Omani Government recognises as a potential income earner and important source of employment to meet Omanisation goals (i.e. indigenization of the workforce) is the tourism sector. Some of the biggest tourism projects include golf courses, sport facilities and world class as well as budget hotels. The Omani Government is promoting Oman as an eco-friendly destination. Oman is the home of rare green turtle. Dolphin-spotting and swimming is very popular with European tourists. Oman has one of the most stable regimes in the Middle East region. The Omani Government will continue to promote the Sultanate as a politically moderate Arab state that is financially secure and investment friendly.  

                            By Vladimiro P.Villalta, Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador. Centroamericanos, Paz no es una utopía, es la sublime realización del ser humano, unidos la forjaremos! VPV I take this pleasant opportunity that the Diplomat Magazine offers me – which I appreciate – to express our gratitude to the Kingdom of the Netherlands for its continuous approach and cooperation with my country, El Salvador and with Central America. I would like to extent more about this productive relationship between both our countries, however, the magic of The Hague, as the “City of Peace and Justice”, moves me to take Justice and Peace to present three Salvadorian characters whose traces prove how the human factor distinguished and dignified our people and how it is always determined and essential to achieve universal values which are still being sought and generate hope in humanity. Dr. Jose Gustavo Guerrero was a Salvadorian diplomat and jurist. He served as the last President of the Permanent Court of International Justice from 1937 to 1945; he was also the first President of the International Court of Justice from 1946 to 1949 and remained on the Court as a regular judge until his death in 1958. Jose Gustavo Guerrero represents “the continuity” in the International Court of Justice. Consuelo de Saint-Exupery was a Salvadorian writer and artist and wife of the French aristocrat and writer, poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery. She was the muse of Saint-Exupery for “The Little Prince”; she was “the Rose”, the unique and special rose, whom the Prince loves. The Little Prince is the most read and translated book in the French language. One of the beautiful message of this book is “One sees clearly only with the heart, what is essential is invisible to the eyes”. San Romero de America, the Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero was shot to death while saying mass in El Salvador on March 24, 1980. He’s seen as a hero to many because of his solidarity with the poor and his opposition to human rights abuses. Archbishop Romero was a martyr for the faith and he is one of the ten 20^th-century martyrs who are depicted in statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey in London. *Cuscatlán was the pre-Columbian name of the Republic of El Salvador in Central America

By Eduardo Pizarro Leongómez, Ambassador of Colombia. Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima paid an official visit to Colombia on 22 November. Their Majesties were received by the President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and his wife María Clemencia Rodríguez de Santos. President Santos expressed to the King and Queen the importance that this visit symbolizes, as it will allow to advance in strengthening the relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is a traditional partner and strategic ally within the European Union. In addition, President Santos spoke with the King and Queen of the Netherlands about the progress of the peace process, for which His Majesty the King William-Alexander expressed an eventual support to the post-conflict process. Besides these subjects, the agenda of the meeting also included issues related to cooperation with special emphasis on environment and water resources. The visit to Colombia of Their Majesties was also an excellent opportunity to strengthen the relations with Caribbean territories of the Kingdom, with whom Colombia has an important agenda in different areas such as in agriculture, culture and education, infrastructure, oil and gas, health and tourism. President Santos was also accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, María Ángela Holguín; and the Ministers of Industry, Commerce and Tourism; Finance and Public Credit; Mines and Energy; Environment and Development and Agriculture. The delegation that accompanied the King and Queen of the Netherlands was composed by Frans Timmermans, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Michiel Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba; Ivar Asjes, Prime Minister of Curacao; Sarah Wescot-Williams, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten; and Robert Van Embden, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bogotá. Colombia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1829. Both States have diplomatic representation in Bogotá and The Hague, respectively. The Netherlands is a strategic partner of Colombia in water related subjects. The Netherlands supported the establishment of the National Policy for Comprehensive Management of Water Resources –PNGIRH, published in March 2010 and is currently developing a project for implementation and feedback of the planning of the PNGIRH through the formulation of the Strategic Plan for the macro-basin of the Magdalena – Cauca Rivers and the formulation and/or adjustment of four Plans for the Planning and Management of Basins. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has historically provided cooperation to Colombia for the strengthening of the environmental sector. Such cooperation is reflected in the development of projects that have had great achievements, like the strengthening of the protected areas systems, the consolidation of planning and legislation processes in departments (provinces) and local areas, the consolidation of sociocultural, environmental and economic processes in the Colombian Amazon, the improvement of management of land in small rural communities, accompanying in the planning of coordinate use and management of the renewable natural resources. Finally, it is important to highlight that the entrance of The Netherlands to the Pacific Alliance as an ObserverState, on 1^st November 2013, will also contribute to strengthen the relations between the Kingdom of The Netherlands and the members of the Alliance and particularly with the Republic of Colombia. For additional pictures please click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98057281@N02/sets/  

“Urbi and orbi”, the Independence of Angola By Luis Jose Almedia, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola.   Excellences, Mister and Misses Ambassadors, Dear Friends, We have recently celebrated the 38th anniversary of the independence of my beloved country: Angola. Let us remember some history: Thirty eight years ago, at midnight of the memorable 11º of November of 1975, our late president, the great Agostinho Neto proclaimed urbi and orbi before Africa and the world the independence of Angola. Thirty eight years later, where do we find ourselves? Angola is a fully sovereign and independent country, respected throughout the world, and that has been paving its way through prosperity since its independence. Reconstructing our country after several years of war has been a focal point for us: Roads, Railroads, Airports and Ports, hospitals and housing have been flourishing in the past few years, but also schools and universities as well as training centers in order to fight illiteracy and allowing our children to have access to school have raised as well. Illiteracy for instance has gone from 99% in 1975 to 33% today to hopefully being eradicated by 2017. The political stability has allowed us to have a fast growing economy based on the collaboration of our friends and economic and financial partners but mostly by the utilization of our natural resources and the governmental effort into reducing poverty. We have, as a diplomatic representation, been here since 2011 and our government’s decision in opening the embassy in the Netherlands comes from the desire to strengthen our relationship with this great nation in the perspective of developing even more strategic partnerships between our two countries and for us to benefit from the entrepreneurship know-how and dynamism Dutch companies are known for. To conclude, I would like to thank a great man, who also happens to be a great friend of my country, Mr. Paul Staal, a founding member of the Angolan Komitee, who supported the liberation struggle of Angola. I would also like to thank an Angola company, ASC – Angola Steel Corporation, represented by my daughter Sanga, for helping us bring a musical band from Angola during our National Day and allowing us to share some of our culture that evening. Long live the friendship between Angola and the Netherlands !

By Jorge Alfredo Lemcke Arévalo, Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Permanent Representative to International Organizations. It is a pleasure for us as an Embassy to write a small article in this journal, that without any doubts has reached the attention of the Diplomatic Community in the Netherlands. We avail this opportunity to wish the Diplomatic Magazine and cooperating partners the best of success in their duties and for their future success. The Embassy of Guatemala in The Kingdom of the Netherlands also has a permanent representation to some Courts and Organizations based in the Netherlands. With this in mind, the Government of Guatemala has reiterated its compromise to International Peace and Justice by different ways, been among them in 2012 the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, both based in The Hague. It is also wise to say dear readers that Guatemala has held amicable and commercial relations with the Netherlands and neighboring countries since decades ago. Guatemala opened its Embassy and Permanent Representation in the year 2001, when a delegation composed of great diplomatics decided to establish an embassy to strengthen the relations with our host country. As many of you may know, Guatemala is located in a position with access to both oceans and a free circulation of goods among the Central American countries, including Panama and some Caribbean countries. This is privileged location and with an area of 108, 889 Sq.Km (42,042 sq.mi) and more than 15 million inhabitants which account for 40% of the total population in the Central America Region, being 70% of the Guatemalan population under 40 years old. Guatemala is the proud host of the Central American Parliament, composed by the representatives from the Central American region (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Dominican Republic) counting with the prestigious presence as observer states of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Taiwan, and most recently the State of Chiapas of the MexicanRepublic. As stated above, due to its privileged position, Guatemala represents 35% of the Central America Region´s economy (US$50 of US$145 Billion) positioned as a business Hub in the Mesoamerican region. The Government is firmly committed to encourage and promote foreign and direct investment, creating and maintaining a legal framework and legal certainty for investors, excellent economic performance that guarantees a competitive business climate. Tourism is a strategic sector, being the second currency income generator of the country; as well as an important employment source for both direct and indirect jobs. In 2012 the income for tourism surpassed the US$1,400 million, with a 5% growth rate. More than 1.9 million visitors were register in 2012 and as far of April 2013, there has already been an 8.3%. increase In other matters, is important to state that Guatemala possesses a unique cultural and abundant natural richness; which provides a broad tourist offer. The distances between the attractions are so short that one can easily visit different regions during the same trip. Guatemala Its known as the land of the eternal spring, and its pleasant weather conditions allow the visitors to travel during any time of the year. Guatemala is the Heart of the Mayan World. The Mayan Civilization legacy is still evident in the traditions and culture of its people. for more information visit: www.investinguatemala.org, www.visitguatemala.com