By Eduardo Pizarro, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia. “The Answer is Colombia”. Colombia is enjoying an economic surge. In the past few years, the country has been experiencing solid economic growth and has become one of the main Latin America’s investment hotspots. Boosted by business-friendly policies and a long track record of regulatory stability, foreign direct investment inflows have soared and the country has gained investment grade credit ratings. The start of the new Free Trade Agreement in August 2013 between the EU and Colombia will further strengthen the country’s economic surge. Colombia’s market shows great potential and the country has a stable economy especially considering the 4% GDP rise in 2012, well above the Latin American and Caribbean average. The country enjoys a strategic location as a port of entry to South America and a dynamic, domestic market. Colombia has the 13th largest population in the world and the second largest among Spanish speaking countries. Tourism is also seeing a surge in the country with international tourist numbers arriving in the Colombia having grown by an annual average rate of 10.4 per cent in the last eight years (2005-2012), a rate three times higher than the rate registered worldwide in the same period. Colombian regions, for their part, now offer a greater variety of tourism products that complement the traditional ones and that allow tourists to enjoy natural, cultural and health attractions, sun and beach among others all in the same destination. Proexport Colombia has just launched a new international tourism campaign, ‘Colombia is Magical Realism’, which evokes the literary genre that made famous the Nobel-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez in whose stories the protagonists live in scenes that blend reality with magic. The concept brings together the unique characteristics of Colombia’s tourism product and the perceptions about it that exist in the world. Proexport reached this conclusion after doing a study to determine the differential factor that motivates foreign tourists to choose Colombia as their destination for holidays or to host their events. Words were used like ‘magical’, ‘unique’ and ‘surprising’ to describe the experiences of thousands of foreigners during their trips through the country, setting the tone to conceive what will be the brand from now on for promoting Colombia and its attractions to the world. To see more:   http://www.colombia.co/     and     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0I4-IJq8-M

By Kazem Gharib Abadi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the kingdom of the Netherlands. I would like to congratulate on the launch of the new English magazine, Diplomat Magazine, in The Hague, The capital of justice and peace, focusing on diplomacy and diplomatic events. I’m quite confident that this will emerge soon as an important tool in The Hague for dissemination of diplomatic issues. Iran, as an ancient country, is well known for its civilization, virtual arts, history, language and literature, handicrafts, traditional food, architecture, music, cultural and ethnic diversity, deserts, mountains, international registered monuments like Persepolis and Bam and its cultural landscape and so on. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that Iran is an Energy superpower and the Petroleum industry plays as an important part in the country. Iran has proven natural gas reserves in independent natural gas fields (33.6 trillion cubic meters) as the largest country in the world. Oil, gas and diverse mines and natural resources have made the country as a land of opportunities, huge capabilities and capacities. Iran during the recent decades has successfully made tremendous achievements in various fields such as science, medicine, nanotechnology, stem cells, aerospace, satellites, education, health, industry, mining, agriculture and peaceful use of nuclear energy. In recent years, the number of young Iranian women who have been admitted to the universities has risen dramatically up to more than 60 percent of university entrants. Islamic Republic of Iran as a pivotal player in the Middle East and Persian Gulf has great interest in peace, tranquillity, progress and security and wishes lasting, sustainable and prosperous future for all nations. Foreign policy of the country is mainly focused on mutual interests and respect, non-intervention in the internal and external affairs of the others, self – determination of people, peaceful settlement of international disputes, cooperation among states, rights to development, freedom of trade and business, friendly and peaceful co-existences with peace loving nations across the world. We believe that constructive and effective engagement among countries would pave the way for better and common understanding and achievements. Iranians are a peace-loving nation, its rich culture and history is deeply rooted in wisdom, reason and interaction with other nations. In political scene, Iran had its eleventh presidential election on 14 June 2013 that Dr. Hassan Rouhani had landslide victory. Dr. Rouhani as Iran’s newly elected president stressed that he will follow a “path of wisdom and hope, justice and enhancing mutual trust between Iran and other countries on the basis of mutual respect.” The real message of the president- elect to the international community is that we have common interests, joint goals to promote peace, security and tranquillity in the region and in the world. I would also like to add very briefly about our relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Relations between two countries and nations date back to 400 years ago and have continued until today, through which two nations and countries have developed deeper understanding and promoted their national interests. In conclusion, I wish best of luck for mankind and I also hope that all effective players try to contribute to a durable peace, and security. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act toward one another in spirit of mercy and brotherhood.

By Javier Vallaure, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain.

Globalization and its impact on international relations: challenges and opportunities for XXI century diplomacy. 

The nation-states system which was inaugurated by the Peace of Westphalia (1648) belongs to the past. Globalization is eroding the central role of the state, highlighting the growing interdependence of international society. Nowadays, no state alone is capable of responding effectively to current transnational challenges, such as climate change, epidemics or security. Advances in information and communication technologies (ICT) are radically changing the speed of information and the way we relate. The importance of Western civilization in the international realm is decreasing because of a shift of political and economic power to Asia which coincides with the current crisis in the European and American economies. “When China awakes, the world will tremble”, predicted Napoleon.  China’s rise occurs together with an Islamic religious revival in several of the countries that have undertaken revolutions. The revival of a more radical Islam (at odds with moderate tendencies within) and the economic crisis that is hitting those societies overshadows the hopes for transition to democracy. The increasing role of international organizations and the rise of multilateral diplomacy is another factor that is changing the physiognomy of diplomacy. Nowadays, a diplomat must have a solid background and be a generalist, but at the same time he has to specialize. The complexity of the diplomat’s task is clearly reflected when he has to defend the national interest while participating in formulating the opinion of an international organization. At European level, diplomats contribute to formulating Community policies while still defending the national interests of their states. Is traditional diplomacy doomed to gradually disappear? Or is this an opportunity to strengthen its importance? Has diplomacy changed completely or is it essentially the same? We should analyze the changes that are transforming the way diplomats operate today. The technological revolution has meant that any news travels fast anywhere around the world. This raises questions about one of the diplomatic functions, namely: observing the developments in the country in which the diplomat is stationed and reporting about these developments to his own country. It has been said that diplomats nowadays compete with the media to inform their governments. However, this affirmation needs an explanation. A diplomat must always try to be well informed, and therefore, he has to analyze the situation, taking into account certain distance from the various sources consulted and, quoting Talleyrand, “anticipate the unexpected”. On the other hand, diplomats normally have access to official information from the authorities of the country they are stationed, information hard to get for the media. So the access to these communication channels and the transmission of that knowledge are essential functions of a diplomat’s task that no doubt will survive. The instantaneity of communications and the development of commercial aviation have provided a more direct contact between leaders, who, according to some people, depend less on the messengers. Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that direct contacts between Presidents and Prime Ministers are usually preceded by hard work behind the scenes of diplomats, establishing fluid communication channels, advising and negotiating. In the framework of the European Union, the creation of the External European Action Service (EEAS) deserves special mention. As a matter of fact, the EEAS started its work in July 2010, as a result of the complex negotiations under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union (and materialized in the Council Decision of 26 July 2010). The EEAS allows the EU to speak with one voice in the world and its aims to counteract the loss of weight of this region in the international scale. With more than 500 millions of citizens, solid democratic institutions and an economy, that could be branded as a free market economy, the EU is one of the most prosperous areas in the world, despite the current economic and financial crisis. Moreover, the EU is a peaceful region since the 50’s, when two historic rival countries, France and Germany, decided to bury their past and inaugurate a stage of long-lasting peace. Not in vain, the EU was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, as recognition to the contribution during more than sixty years to the progress of peace, democracy and human rights. In spite of some clearly improvable aspects of the EEAS (like the expected rotation of diplomats from the Member States services, whereas it is not established for the civil servants of the European Commission and Council, or the transmission of instructions coming from two different organs, for instance, in the development cooperation field the instruction comes from the Commission and in other areas it comes from the EEAS central services), it will have an impact on the Member States diplomatic services. We cannot forget the fact that the geographic working groups are headed by the EEAS and the labour of diplomats becomes more complex having to defend their national interests and participating in formulating european policies. Certainly the EEAS has huge challenges ahead but the principles and values at stake deserve all the efforts. On the other hand and as Permanent Representative to the OPCW in The Hague, I have to mention the growing importance of the international organizations, where more and more States have to agree in responding to global challenges. In my experience as Permanent Representative, I have seen how the dynamism of the multilateral activity is influencing our profession and has contributed to important achievements such as the universality in the acceptance of the prohibition of the use of chemical weapons or the commitment with international peace and security. I would like to mention as well the important milestone that has represented the incorporation of women to diplomacy, although this fact has not modified the contents of the function of a diplomat. However, the fact that people nowadays are better informed has made the agendas of foreign policy more open to social demands and diplomats have to be more flexible and constantly in contact with their Parliaments. This characterizes more and more current diplomacy. The dichotomy between classic diplomacy and modern diplomacy does not exist as such. Hence, even if diplomacy changes adapting to the evolution of the society in which it lives, it still remains the same in essence. Indeed, the main features of a diplomat are the same as the classic ones, such as being a good observer, smart, patient, discreet, honest, skilful in negotiations, a good communicator, swift in his/her judgments but slow in making decisions (aside from also being able to adapting to others’ mood). Certainly, the diplomatic ceremonial and protocol still plays a capital role in our profession. Distinguished manners soften roughnesses and politeness wins everything. I always like to remember that “protocol is the plastic art of power”. One may acknowledge that the use of ICT, leadership, going out and taking the society’s pulse and of course a balance between a general background and a specialization are all of them essential features of the diplomat. As the French diplomat Jules Cambon said, “new diplomacy, old diplomacy are words that correspond to nothing real. But the substance will always be the same because human nature does not change, nations will continue to have but one way to solve their differences, and the word of an honest man will always be the best tool available to a Government to defend its points of view”.

                            The Netherlands, Germany and Europe By Franz Josef Kremp, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany. Germany and the Netherlands are extremely close partners. The two countries are becoming steadily more interconnected, and that is a good thing. Business, tourism and infrastructure are but a few of the most prominent examples. Germany is the Dutch’s favourite travel destination for very diverse reasons. Alongside geographical proximity Germany boasts an array of different landscapes, a varied cultural scene and low prices. In 2012 Germany was once again the number one travel destination for Dutch tourists, the number of overnight stays rose by 2.9% compared with the previous year, to nearly 11 million. By the same token the number of German visitors to the Netherlands increased to over three million. We are very important trading partners for one another. The Netherlands is Germany’s second most important trading partner, after France, with bilateral trade worth 158 billion euros in 2012. Below the national level an important role is played by cross‑border cooperation, particularly through the five Euroregions. The Euroregions are voluntary associations of public‑law bodies in the German‑Netherlands border region, with regional authorities – and in some cases chambers of commerce – playing a particularly important part in cross‑border cooperation. Germany and the Netherlands are both one of each others’ most important political and economic partners, whose advice and understanding can be counted on and whose role in safeguarding European interests is regarded as essential. Ensuring that the European project continues to be a success in the future remains a common concern for us both.

By Abdullah Alshaghrood, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia. I am delighted to be able to contribute to Diplomat Magazine in the occasion of the 83^rd anniversary of the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the late King Abdulaziz Al Saud, also known as Ibn Saud. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has, since his accession to the throne in 2005, taken the initiative to promote the culture of dialogue between members of different religions and civilizations in order to promote and strengthen peace and stability in the world. In 2011 the Kingdom established the “King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue” in Vienne with the cooperation of Spain and Austria in order to take this aim forward. The main objective of this center is to promote dialogue between followers of the major different religious in the world-Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism. For a Nation built on Islamic principles, upholding Islam and protecting Islamic interest, has been the corner stone of Saudi foreign policy. Today, Saudi Arabia is a nation which views are actively sought by world leaders looking for a better understanding of Islamic and Arab issues and the Kingdom’s diplomatic initiatives are considered crucial in averting crisis. Its intervention and mediation are solicited to resolve disputes that, if allowed to escalate, could have reverberations far beyond the region. Saudi Arabia emerged as unified nation in 1932 and since that time has developed into a socioeconomic and political leader. Guided by foreign policy that focuses on Arab unity, Islamic solidarity and peaceful coexistence, Saudi Arabia is in a new millennium a strong advocate of peace, security and constructive cooperation throughout the world. With regards to Saudi-Dutch relations, it is worth mentioning that the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia share longstanding relationships, which have witnessed continued development and constructive cooperation. In 1872 the Dutch Consulate was opened in Jeddah in order to help Dutch-East Indian Muslims who visited Saudi Arabia in order to perform Hajj, and to provide consular services to Dutch East Indian Muslims who were living Makkah. Sin mid-1920s, Saudi-Dutch relations have developed and expanded rapidly. In 1926, the late King Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud sent his son Prince Faisal to the Netherlands to strengthen different aspects of the relationship between the two countries. Prince Faisal visited Queen Wilhelmina and the office of Dutch trade society (later to become ABN AMRO Bank). As one of the outcomes of that visit, ABN AMRO bank opened a currency exchange in Jeddah. Economically speaking, the ties between both countries are strong and have witnessed rapid and continuous development. A number of Dutch companies and their joint ventures have become household names in the Saudi marketplace, such as Shell and Phillips. In contrast, two of our biggest businesses ARAMCO Overseas and SABIC-Europe have key offices in the Netherlands. Nowadays, we are witnessing steady growth in bilateral trade and investment and the bilateral trade volume between both countries stood at 6,8 billion Euros in 2012. Academically, the ties between Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands have been extended with the current student exchange with the universities of Groningen and Maastricht and Dutch scholars who continue visiting Saudi universities. We celebrated the graduation of four Saudi female medical students from the University of Maastricht at the beginning of 2013 under the new Scientific and Educational Cooperation Programme which is a joint initiative between our two countries. In sum, the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands is special and longstanding. As an ambassador and representative of my country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I spare no effort to intensify and strengthen this relationship and to work with my Dutch colleagues and friends for the sake of prosperity and progress of our two nations. I am very proud to say that our ties no longer focus only on the economy, but on academic, political, cultural and social cooperation.