Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic on official visit to Bhutan
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Mr. Tomas Dub will be visiting Bhutan on February 12-15, 2014.
Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Tomas Dub will be accompanied by Ambassador of the Czech Republic accredited to Bhutan H.E. Mr. Miloslav Stasek, Mrs. Andrea Kucerova, Deputy Chief of Mission, Mrs. Jana Peterkova, 3rd Secretary of the Czech Embassy in New Delhi and business delegation comprising of companies from energy and civil aviation sector.
During his visit to Bhutan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Tomas Dub will call on members of Bhutanese Government, including H.E. Mr. Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister; H.E. Mr. Rinzin Dorji, Minister for Foreign Affairs; H.E. Mr. Norbu Wangchuk, Minister for Economic Affairs; H.E. Mr. Mingbo Dukpo, Minister of Education; H.E. Mr. Damchoe Dorji, Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs; and representatives of Bhutanese authorities dealing with energy and civil aviation policy.
During the meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Foreign Minister will hold comprehensive and all-inclusive discussions on bilateral relations, including (among others) exchange of high-level visits, economic and development cooperation and collaboration in education and culture with the view to strengthen the bilateral relations and find the new avenues for mutual cooperation.
During the visit of Czech delegation to Bhutan, Thimphu will witness an unprecedented outburst of cultural activities. On 13 February 2014, the “Czech Castles” exhibition, depicting the unique beauty of Czech castles and the surrounding landscape, will be inaugurated in Royal Textile Academy in Thimphu. The exhibition will be open to visitors till March 23, 2014. Consequently, exhibition of Bhutanese textiles and artefacts should take place in the National Museum of the Czech Republic in Prague in autumn 2014.
Historically the first ever “Czech Film Festival”, which will take place on 14 – 16th February 2014 in “City Cinema” in Thimphu, will screen the most successful and popular Czech films „Kolja” (won Oscar Award in 1997), “Grapes” (tenderly depicting the Czech way of life, with its traditional vineyards and music) and “Little Girl Blue” (portraying life from an interesting female perspective).
The bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and Bhutan are developing a remarkable speed after establishing the diplomatic relations only in December 2011. From that time on, the Czech Republic belongs among the most active EU member states in Bhutan. Only in 2013, two important visits from the Czech Republic to Bhutan took place in order to deepen the bilateral dialogue and support business and development cooperation – visit of Deputy Minister of Environment of the Czech Mr. Tomas Tesar and visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic H.E. Mr. Jan Kohout on November 8-10, 2013, both accompanied by business delegations.
Bhutan and the Czech Republic share very similar political history. Both small countries on the border of main world powers experienced also the similar political transition in last years – Bhutan transformed into constitutional monarchy in 2008, the Czech Republic got rid of communism in 1989. Hence, also Czech Parliamentarians would like to establish and deepen relations with their Bhutanese counterparts.
Czech companies are seriously considering their investment in Bhutan in the fields such as hydropower, renewable energy, infrastructure, tourism, civil aviation or food processing, as their business opportunities gradually shrink on the traditional western market.
According to H.E. Mr. Miloslav Stasek, the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Bhutan, various sectors of Bhutan economy hold tremendous opportunity, including setting of special economic zones, dry ports and industrial townships in Public-Private-Partnership mode.
The Czech Republic is keenly looking for meaningful engagement with Bhutan, including development aid. In 2008, the Czech Republic financed the “Voices” project aimed at empowering women in Bhutan villages, carried out by the Bhutanese organization RENEW. In 2013, the Czech Republic financed the project of „National Mass Disaster Preparedness“ in Bhutanese schools, in order to increase preparedness to earthquake at local levels and in schools. In December 2013, the Czech Republic participated for the first time at the 12th Round Table Meeting in Bhutan, bringing together the development partners of Bhutan. The Czech Republic would like to focus on the support in the crisis management in Bhutan in the future, therefore it decided to support a project of Establishing and equipping the rescue team in Mongar district in 2014.
Bhutan has a very positive resonance in the Czech Republic thanks to its sensible environment policy and holistic concept of “Gross National Happiness”. Many Czech citizens have Bhutan on their dream list of travels. Czech universities and environment institutions, to name only few, are willing to establish closer ties and students exchange with their Bhutanese counterparts.
Source: Bhutan Observer
