New Times for the Transatlantic Relations
& PCFR Annual Membership Business Meeting
Monday, June 3, 2019 | 6:00-8:30 pm
SCHEDULE:
Cocktail Reception: 6:00-6:45 pm
Dinner: 6:45-7:30 pm
Program: 7:30-8:30 pm
VENUE:
Gainey Ranch Golf Club
7600 E Gainey Club Dr
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
REGISTRATION:
Early-Bird Rate through May 29th
Standard Registration: $55
Standard Registration (Non-Member): $70
After May 29th
Standard Registration: $65
Standard Registration (Non-Member): $80
Table (up to 8 attendees): $600
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About Ambassador Wouters:
Dirk Wouters was appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the United States of America in Washington DC from September 2016.
About the Event
The Ambassador will elaborate on:
1) The main developments that most recently had a significant impact on the transatlantic relationship such as a deliberate overall questioning of the multilateral order or the strong convictions at the highest level in Washington regarding NATO,
2) Europe’s energy-dependence and trade deficits.
3) American Administration on Russia and more importantly, on the new view on China as a strategic, economic and military rival. These developments have also had an impact on the transatlantic relationship and have put Europe in a new position.
4) Finally, the Ambassador will raise some ideas on positive engagement.
Ambassador of Belgium to the United States of America
The Ambassador represents His Majesty The King of the Belgians and Belgium’s federal government in the United States of America and in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. He is responsible for the direction and work of the Embassy and its Consulates, including bilateral political and economic relations, and visa and consular services.
Career
Ambassador Wouters’ career has included both multilateral and bilateral assignments and has been primarily focused on European affairs.
Dirk Wouters joined the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980. His career started in the consular and disarmament departments, and he went on to dealing with economic and technology issues at the Belgian Embassy in Rome. From 1986, Mr. Wouters was appointed to several important functions in European Affairs, including within the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU. He was also directly involved in several negotiations on revision of the European Treaties (Maastricht, Amsterdam, Nice, and Lisbon). In 1992, Mr. Wouters received a second assignment in Rome dealing with political and economic issues. In 2001, he was appointed coordinator of the Belgian Presidency and headed for some years the Department of European Coordination and Integration in the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Brussels. Dirk Wouters then assisted Jean Luc Dehaene as Vice President of the Convention on the future of the European Union. From 2003 to 2009, he was Permanent Representative of Belgium to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union, at the time when the common foreign and security policy was framed under the leadership of J. Solana. In 2009, Mr. Wouters was called to the office of Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as his diplomatic advisor and Sherpa. After that, as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dirk Wouters was one of the main architects of the successful Belgian EU-Presidency and key foreign policy decisions on Afghanistan and Libya. He was the Permanent Representative of Belgium to the European Union from 2011 to 2016.
Mr. Wouters is no stranger to the United States, having lived in New York while Deputy Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations (1995-2000), with a special responsibility for coordination and for overseeing the work in the political, military, economic and development section. In this position, he was involved in the creation of the International Criminal Court. During his tenure, Dirk Wouters was also an active participant in the Open-ended Working Group of the General Assembly on the Reform of the Security Council.
Mr. Wouters is the former Chairman of the Association of diplomats of the Belgian Foreign Service.
