Small Island States and the Challenge of COVID-19

Dr Didacus Jules

Speaker: His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules
Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Date: Thursday 2 July 2020
Time: 12.30 – 1.00pm

Location: via Zoom

His Excellency Dr. Didacus Jules assumed the post of Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States in May 2014. In this capacity he is responsible for driving the regional integration thrust towards a single economic and social space involving ten Eastern Caribbean States.

Dr. Jules had had extensive regional and international experience, most of it focused on education, social policy and organisational transformation. He served as Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (2008-2014) leading a thorough modernization of the Council. He has also served as Vice President Human Resources Cable and Wireless Saint Lucia (2005-2008); Permanent Secretary for Education and Human Resource Development Saint Lucia (1997-2008) as well as Permanent Secretary for Education and Chief Education Officer in revolutionary Grenada from 1981-1983.

He has provided consultancy services to national governments, regional and international organisations in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and North America. He chaired the World Bank’s Vision 2020 Committee on Education in the Caribbean and has served on many private sectors, educational, and philanthropic boards. He holds a BA (Hons) from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill, an MSc in Curriculum and Instruction and a PhD in Educational Policy and Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as a MBA from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill.

Dr. Jules has authored numerous articles on educational policy, educational reform and adult education in the Caribbean and in small island states as well as other publications on public sector reform, organisational transformation and cultural studies.

His career has been characterised by visionary transformational initiatives aimed at making Caribbean institutions more responsive to the needs of people, more competitive in the global arena and more efficient and sustainable.

In this 30 minute lunch-time session, Dr Jules will outline the role of the OECS Commission and the importance of regional cooperation to address global issues, including COVID-19.

Update on Venezuela

Daniel Gasparri Rey

Speaker: Mr Daniel Gasparri Rey
Charge d’Affaires a.i. and Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Australia

Date: Thursday 28 May 2020
Time: 12.30 – 1.00pm

Location: via Zoom

Mr Daniel Gasparri Rey is the Charge d’Affaires a.i. and Minister-Counsellor at the Embassy of Venezuela in Australia with concurrent accreditation to New Zealand, Timor-Leste, Fiji and other Pacific countries.

Prior to his Canberra posting he was President of the State Company of Recycling REMACA; a Member of the Presidential Negotiating Commission for the entrance of Venezuela into MERCOSUR and Commercial Attaché at the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the Republic of Chile; and Secretary of the Special Commission for the Study of Proposals FTAA, G3, CAN, MERCOSUR, NAFTA and other agreements on International Economic Integration of the Venezuelan Parliament.

In this 30 minute lunch-time session, Mr Gasparri will give an update on recent developments in Venezuela and field questions from participants.

Colombia: Land of Opportunities

Speaker: Ms Ana María Moreno Fonseca
Acting Consul-General of the Republic of Colombia to New Zealand

Date: Tuesday 3 December 2019
Time: 5.30 – 7.30pm

Location: Russell McVeagh
Level 24, Dimension Data House
157 Lambton Quay
Wellington, 6011

Ms Ana María Moreno Fonseca is the Acting Consul-General of the Republic of Colombia in Auckland, New Zealand. In her presentation she will give an overview of Colombia’s political system and economy, including trade opportunities for New Zealand.

Plastic Diplomacy for Island Nations

Speaker: Mr Stephen Harris
Special Representative of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA)

Date: Monday 5 August 2019
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Rutherford House, Lecture Theatre 2,
Victoria University of Wellington,
Pipitea Campus, 23 Lambton Quay
Wellington, 6011

New Zealand diplomat Stephen Harris has been seconded to lead the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance’s international engagement for two years. In this talk, which follows a visit to the Caribbean, he will summarise some key findings from his first nine months in the role and discuss what it will take to make a lasting impact in this evolving area of global diplomacy.

Hosted by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs – Wellington Branch.

From the Caribbean to the Pacific Islands: Dreams and Common Issues

From tourism, to creating an internationally competitive commercial environment and to the threats of climate change the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands have much in common. The panel will discuss the newest developments in both regions.

Chair: Professor Alberto Costi, Victoria University of Wellington

Speakers:

Dr Nicole Pierce, De Montfort University, Leicester and Deputy Director, ISMS
Dr Pierce is a Senior Lecturer in International Trade Law and Private International Law at the Faculty of Business and Law at De Montfort University. She has also worked in the private sector as an Attorney-at-Law and the public sector at the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce in Jamaica. She is an expert in law reform and implementation having acted extensively in the Caribbean region (CARICOM and OECS) with particular focus on harmonisation of commercial laws.

Ms Ana Tuiketei, Barrister, Suva and Deputy Director, ISMS
Ms Tuiketei is a Barrister of the High Court of Fiji. Most recently she was a Visiting Foreign Lawyer at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP in London. She has worked as a consultant to the ADB on projects relating to Pacific Island states. Ana is a sessional lecturer with the School of Law, University of the South Pacific and a part time consultant with the Fiji National University. She is currently the General Secretary for the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She sits on the Fiji National Research Ethics Review Committee and the Fiji Industry Training Advisory Committee (NPTC), and serves as the Vice President for the Fiji Women Lawyers Association.

Associate Professor Catherine Iorns, Victoria University of Wellington and Climate Change Advisor, ISMS
Catherine Iorns Magallanes is a Reader in the School of Law at Victoria University of Wellington on environmental law, indigenous rights, and statutory interpretation. She is a member of the International Law Association Committee on the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law. She consults regularly on issues of environmental law and climate change.

Date: Wednesday 17 July 2019
Time: 12.30 – 1.30pm

Location: Moot Room (GB340)
Old Government Buildings
55 Lambton Quay
Wellington 6011

Presented with the Institute of Small and Micro States (ISMS)

The Institute of Small and Micro States provides an informed, independent interdisciplinary research platform for the small states community. It is the home for the analysis and debate about contemporary legal small states’ issues with an eye for practical solutions. The Institute is committed to facilitate law reform in and for small states and to assist with relevant training.

Focus on Guatemala

Speaker: Her Excellency Mrs Connie Taracena-Secaira
Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala to Australia and New Zealand

Date: Thursday 7 February 2019
Time: 5.30 – 7.00pm

Location: Russell McVeagh
Level 24, Dimension Data House
157 Lambton Quay
Wellington, 6011

Mrs Taracena-Secaira’s professional experience has included roles as First Secretary and Consul in Russia, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Her tenure as Minister Counsellor, Guatemalan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, oversaw the work of the Third Committee – Social Humanitarian, Human Rights and Cultural Affairs. At UNICEF she was a member of the Executive Board of Directors and representative of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC). She is currently Ambassador of Guatemala to Australia and New Zealand.

In her presentation, Ambassador Taracena-Secaira will give an overview of Guatemala’s political system and economy, including trade opportunities for New Zealand.

Across the Ocean:
New Zealand and International Science Collaboration

Speaker: Professor Sir Peter Gluckman
Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand

Date: Thursday 14 June 2018
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Professor Sir Peter Gluckman is the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, a role he has held since the position was established in 2009. He is also Chair of the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA).

Sir Peter is internationally respected for his work promoting the use of evidence in policy making and the translation of scientific knowledge into better social, economic and environmental outcomes. He was the founding Director of the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland and developed LENScience, a programme enabling schools to connect with scientific research communities. He is a recipient of New Zealand’s top science award, the Rutherford Medal. His research has won him numerous awards and international recognition including Fellowship of the Commonwealth’s most prestigious scientific organisation, The Royal Society (London). He is the only New Zealander elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science (USA) and the Academy of Medical Sciences of Great Britain. He has authored over 700 scientific papers, reviews and books.

In his presentation, Sir Peter will talk about international science collaboration and the INGSA Caribbean workshop he recently attended in Kingston, Jamaica.

New Zealand and the Caribbean:
Heads of Mission Update

Speakers: Her Excellency Mrs Jan Henderson
High Commissioner of New Zealand to Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dominica, Guyana, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada

His Excellency Mr Daniel Mellsop
High Commissioner of New Zealand to Canada and Jamaica

Date: Monday 21 May 2018
Time: 12.30 – 1.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Mrs Jan Henderson is a career diplomat who is currently serving as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Eastern Caribbean. Jan is also New Zealand Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Before her Caribbean assignment, Jan was New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India, with accreditations to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

From 2003 – 2006, Jan was New Zealand’s Ambassador to Turkey, Israel and Jordan. Previous postings include Washington DC, Solomon Islands and Thailand. In New Zealand, management assignments in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade have included Director of the Chief Executive’s Office and Director of the Environment Division. Jan has also served in Pacific, Development and HR roles.

Daniel Mellsop was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada in February 2016. He is concurrently High Commissioner to Jamaica. Daniel is a career diplomat. Previous appointments included postings to the New Zealand embassies in The Hague and Seoul. He also undertook a secondment to the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully. Prior to taking up his appointment in Ottawa, Daniel was the Head of the International Branch at the Ministry of Defence. Daniel attended the University of Waikato in New Zealand where he studied Korean and Economics graduating with a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Management Studies with honours.

In a joint presentation Jan and Daniel will speak about their respective accreditations and provide an overview of New Zealand’s engagement with the Caribbean, including political and economic links.

Mexico and Beyond:
New Zealand in the Spanish-Speaking Caribbean

Speaker: Ms Clare Kelly
Former Ambassador of New Zealand to Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela

Date: Tuesday 26 September 2017
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Ms Clare Kelly served as New Zealand’s Ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent accreditations to Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela, from April 2013 to April 2017. She has previously served as a Unit Manager in the Trade Negotiations Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was also part of New Zealand’s Mission to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva in the mid-2000s. In her presentation, Ms Kelly will provide an overview of New Zealand’s engagement with Mexico and countries of the wider Caribbean. She will also give an update on the reform process in Cuba and the current situation in Venezuela.

New Zealand, Our Oceans and Small Island Developing States

Speakers: Ms Carolyn Schwalger and Mr Phillip Taula
Former Ambassadors/Deputy Permanent Representatives of New Zealand to the United Nations

Date: Wednesday 30 August 2017
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Ms Carolyn Schwalger and Mr Phillip Taula both served as Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations. In a joint presentation, Ms Schwalger and Mr Taula will provide an overview of the state of our oceans, New Zealand’s involvement in the 2017 Oceans Conference and interactions with Caribbean countries at the UN. In addition, they will also discuss the UN Security Council’s Open Debate on security challenges facing Small Island Developing States which was convened by New Zealand in 2015.

Puerto Rico: Past, Present and Future

Speaker: Dr Joel Colón-Ríos
Associate Professor – Faculty of Law, Victoria University of Wellington

Date: Thursday 9 March 2017
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Dr Joel Colón-Ríos specialises in constitutional and international law. He is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Victoria University of Wellington, where he teaches Introduction to Case Law, Advanced Public Law and Comparative Law. Before becoming an academic, Dr Colón-Ríos practiced law in Puerto Rico, mainly in the area of family law. He was also a law clerk at the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals. In his presentation, Dr Colón-Ríos will provide an overview of Puerto Rico, including the recent change of government administration and the possible implications of the Trump presidency.

One Kingdom – Four Countries:
The Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean

Speaker: His Excellency Mr Robert Zaagman
Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to New Zealand, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu

Date: Tuesday 27 September 2016
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Between 1988 and 1996, Ambassador Zaagman held various positions at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Previously, he was a lecturer for International Law at the University of Utrecht (1986-1988) and a professional officer with the Royal Dutch Army (1974-1978).

As Deputy Director of the Queen’s Office (2004-2008), Ambassador Zaagman was responsible for briefing Her Majesty Queen Beatrix on all matters regarding the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. He has served as First Secretary to the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands at the United Nations in New York (1996-2001), Counsellor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of the Netherlands in London (2001-2004), Ambassador for International Organizations at the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2008-2010) and Consul-General in Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany (2010-2014). He presented his credentials to the Governor-General of New Zealand on September 17, 2014.

Ambassador Zaagman and his wife Monique have two adult children, who are living in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In his spare time he likes reading history books, looking at the stars through his telescope and playing golf.

Observing Elections in Trinidad and Tobago

Speaker: Mr Aaron Hape
Executive Director, Commonwealth Youth New Zealand

Date: Thursday 30 June 2016
Time: 5.30 – 6.30pm

Location: Resolution Institute
Level 4, Gleneagles Building
69-71 The Terrace
Wellington, 6011

Since 2009 Aaron has directed the operations for Commonwealth Youth New Zealand. He has worked in the civil service as advisor to the New Zealand Government and to Members of Parliament. He currently works at the Ministry of Justice.

Aaron was selected to attend 33Fifty, the Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme, in Scotland in 2014. He was named as a New Zealander of the Year Local Hero medallist and was appointed to sit on the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme advisory panel and board. He is also a member of the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Leadership Network.

In 2015, Aaron was selected by the Commonwealth Secretary-General to join a Commonwealth Observer Group that monitored the Trinidad and Tobago Parliamentary elections.

Cuba Today

Speaker: Ms Yexenia Calzado
Representative, Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP)

Date: Tuesday 26 April 2016
Time: 5.30 – 6.15pm

Location: Terrace Conference Centre House, 114 The Terrace, Wellington

Yexenia Calzado is an official of the Asia and Pacific Division of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos or ICAP). Founded in 1960, ICAP is an organisation focussed on building people-to-people ties between Cuba and the international community.

An International Relations specialist, Ms Calzado has written a paper on the political and military presence of the United States in Asia and the Pacific region during the Obama administration (2008-2012). She is currently speaking in Australia, including on Cuba’s contribution to an Aboriginal adult literacy campaign. During her visit to Australia she will also deliver a presentation to the Australian Institute of International Affairs.