Local Newsletter of the Embassy of Belgium in Islamabad Issue 9 – November 2015

Message from the Ambassador It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the new ambassador of Belgium in Islamabad. My wife and I arrived in Pakistan on August 26th, a few days after the departure of my predecessor Mr. Peter Claes and his family. He has rejoined the central administration of the Belgian ministry of foreign affairs; we exchange messages on an almost daily basis and I am pleased to report that he is doing fine in Brussels. The past weeks have been very eventful and have provided me with early opportunities to appreciate the size and the diversity of Pakistan. In September I paid a short visit to the Public Army School in Peshawar, where I delivered some artwork showing our sympathy with the victims of the cowardly attack last December. In early October, I led an economic mission comprising 11 Belgian companies to Karachi and Lahore. You will find more details on these activities in separate articles. More recently, I presented my credentials to H.E. President Mamnoon Hussain on November 3rd. It was in all respects a colorful and memorable moment, which featured a horse carriage with full escort, the review of the guard and, last but not least, a constructive exchange of views with the President. I also made use of this opportunity to express my sympathy to the families of the victims of the recent earthquake which devastated several border areas of the country. I would like to conclude by thanking you for your continued interest in our Embassy’s newsletter. I look forward to many more fruitful experiences in Pakistan. Frédéric Verheyden Ambassador of Belgium

Belgian trade mission to Karachi and Lahore Between October 3 and 9, a business delegation of 11 Belgian companies visited Karachi and Lahore. The visit was prepared by the commercial and trade office of the Belgian embassy in Islamabad and led by the recently arrived Ambassador. During their week in Pakistan, the Belgian businessmen had over 190 individual meetings with local companies and other prospective partners. The participating companies were Agfa-Gevaert (medical imaging), Casier Recycling (wood and metal recycling), Cohout (wood export), Corman SA (dairy products), GCL Overseas (cargo / logistics), Lutosa (potato-based products), Projekto (industrial equipment sales), Reynaers Aluminium (construction), SBE International (engineering consultancy), Soulco (ICT) and Steel International. The level of interest for this mission was very high within business communities in both Karachi and Lahore, which highlights the solid reputation of Belgian companies and the wide range of solutions they can bring to various economic sectors in Pakistan. Indeed, typical features

of Belgian companies include their adaptability, cost-effectiveness and high level of efficiency but also their distinct know-how and their strong willingness to expand their export base. Hence this visit to Pakistan, the first of its kind in more than five years. Highlights of the mission included meetings with the Chief Ministers of Sindh and Punjab, an audience with the Governor of Punjab and lavish networking events hosted by Belgium’s Honorary Consuls in Karachi and Lahore.

Visit to the Army Public School in Peshawar On September 16, Ambassador Verheyden and Consul Johan Casaer visited the Army Public School in Peshawar to officially inaugurate an art work made by the children of two primary school in Differdange in the Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg. The art work is a collection of 132 painted wooden flowers and is the work of the artist Nathalie Pott and her organisation Art-Communiqué. The art work was painted by the school children to demonstrate their solidarity with the victims of the brutal attack on the school last year.

Belgium support for vaccination of livestock in North Waziristan The Government of Belgium contributed 300.000 USD to a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), entitled “Emergency support to

protect the livestock affected by the North Waziristan crisis through provision of critical veterinary supplies and feed”. The project was implemented from 5 August 2014 to 5 May 2015 in close collaboration with the Department of Livestock and Dairy Development of the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The overall objective of the project was to protect and restore main livelihood assets and food production of conflict-affected small-scale livestock holders through preservation of animal health and productivity. The project assisted 24.190 vulnerable livestock owners, including internally displaced households and host families, through vaccination and deworming. A total of 143.000 heads of livestock were vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease and dewormed in Bannu, Karak and Lakki Marwat districts. Implementation of the Visa Information System (VIS) - 02/11/2015 As of November 2 2015, each individual applying for a Schengen visa in Pakistan must appear in person at a Visa Application Centre of Gerry’s International in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi, so that the necessary biometric data – ten fingerprints and a digital photo – can be collected. The biometric data are stored for a period of 59 months and can possibly be reused. From November 2, 2015 onwards, 10 fingerprints and a digital photograph are collected from persons applying for a Schengen visa (type C, short stay). These biometric data, along with data provided in the visa application form, are recorded in a secure central database. Exemptions for the fingerprinting requirements are granted to: • Children under the age of twelve; • Persons for whom the collection of fingerprints is physically impossible; • Heads of State and members of National Governments and their accompanying spouses, as well as the members of their official delegation when invited by Member States' governments or by international organizations for an official purpose. Frequent travellers to the Schengen Area do not have to give new finger scans every time they apply for a new visa. Once finger scans are stored in VIS, they can be re-used for further visa applications over a 5-year period. For more information please consult the European Commission website at http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/visa-information-system/index_en.htm Diplomatic photo contest Karel Van Hecke, the political counsellor at the Embassy, won the second prize of the jury in the photo contest ”Colors of Pakistan - Through the Eyes of the Diplomats”, a charity

competition organized by the NGO Paper Miracles. Each embassy and international organization participated with a photo that was taken by the Ambassador or any collaborator during their stay in Pakistan. The photo of Karel shows the Baltoro glacier and the surrounding mountains and was taken during his recent trekking to the base camp of the K2. The colleagues from the Indian High Commission won the first prize while the Austrian Ambassador won the online popular vote for her photo.

Pakistan as guest of honour at the Ghent Fair 2015 Pakistan was the guest of honour country at the 70th edition of the Flanders International Trade Fair in Ghent, Belgium. This fair is the largest consumer trade fair in Flanders and was held from 12 to 20 September in the historic city of Ghent. The participation of various Pakistani companies and organizations enabled Belgians citizens to discover many beautiful Pakistani artisanal products such as rugs, embroidery and jewelery.

Belgium has 10th best reputation in the world Belgium has risen two places in Reputation Institute’s `Country RepTrak’ ranking for countries with the best reputation. The country completes the top 10 this year. “Belgium is perceived positively as an ethical and safe country that functions well, is progressive on an economic and social level, and assumes its responsibilities in the international community,” dixit Reputation Institute’s communication partner Akkanto. “The presence of European institutions and the NATO undoubtedly plays a big role in this positive reputation.” Belgium scores a total of 72.3 points. The ranking is based on a survey of 50,000 inhabitants in G8 countries, asking for their opinion on 55 other countries. Canada, Norway and Sweden have the best reputation, followed by Switzerland, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. The Belgian customs administration launches a free app with information for travelers

The Belgian customs administration developed an app that lets you see at a glance the do's and don'ts when traveling. The free app 'Belgian Customs' can be downloaded in the App Store, Google Play and the Windows store. The app provides answers to the questions such as: how many tobacco products, alcohol, etc. may I enter without having to pay import duties and taxes? How much cash can I carry with me? Which endangered animals and plants may I not transport? What about counterfeited goods? What should I do when I travel with a pet?

Belgium new number 1 on FIFA ranking Belgium top the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking for the first time in history. The “Red Devils” have jumped two places on the November edition to replace previous leaders Argentina (3rd, down 2) and world champions Germany (2nd, unchanged). The last FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of 2015 will be published on 3 December and could see Belgium take the ‘Team of the Year’ title, should they retain the top spot. Afghanistan occupies the 156th place while Pakistan is number 185.

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