The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands invite media to cover an exclusive morning event, “Transatlantic Relations in Light of Security Challenges, Old and New,” taking place on May 2, 2014, at the Rideau Club in Ottawa, Canada.
Frans Timmermans, Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs, will deliver the keynote address. He began his career in 1987 as an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague, and was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2012. Since this appointment, he has spoken on issues critical to regional and global security including human rights and the International Criminal Court, conflict resolution in Africa, nuclear non-proliferation and the crisis in Ukraine, among others.
Media wishing to cover this event are asked to register in advance with CIGI Communications Specialist Kevin Dias, at 519-885-2444, ext. 7238 or [email protected].
Invitation-Only Event:
“Transatlantic Relations in Light of Security Challenges, Old and New,” by Frans Timmermans, Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs
Date:
Friday, May 2, 2014
Time:
8:30-10 a.m.
Location:
Rideau Club
99 Bank St. 15th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario Canada
About the Speaker:
Netherlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans began his career in 1987, as an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague. He subsequently worked as a policy officer in that ministry’s European Integration Department from 1988 to 1990. That year, he was appointed Second Embassy Secretary at the Dutch embassy in Moscow. After a brief period back in The Hague, as deputy head of the Minister for Development Cooperation’s EC Affairs Section, Timmermans became a member of the staff of European Commissioner Hans van de Broek. He later became adviser and private secretary to Max van der Stoel, the High Commissioner on National Minorities for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 1998, he was a member of the House of Representatives for the Labour Party (PvdA). In that capacity, he dealt principally with foreign affairs. He was chair of the Permanent Committee on Economic Affairs and represented the House of Representatives in the European Convention. In the fourth Balkenende government, from February 2007 to February 2010, Timmermans was Minister for European Affairs. After the fall of that government he returned to the House as the PvdA’s spokesperson on foreign policy. On 5 November 2012, Timmermans was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Rutte-Asscher government.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kevin Dias, Communications Specialist, CIGI
Tel: 519.885.2444, ext. 7238, Email: [email protected]
The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, non-partisan think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI’s interdisciplinary work includes collaboration with policy, business and academic communities around the world. CIGI was founded in 2001 by Jim Balsillie, then co-CEO of Research In Motion (BlackBerry), and collaborates with and gratefully acknowledges support from a number of strategic partners, in particular the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. For more information, please visit www.cigionline.org.
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