Gaspard Van Goethem

🇧🇪 Diplomate / Attaché de coopération au 🇸🇳. Publications en nom propre n’engageant pas la diplomatie belge.

[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, GOJ @mfaftja]

On behalf of the Government and people of Jamaica, the Foreign Minister extended best wishes to Ambassador De Geest and her family for continued success, fulfilment and well-being in all their future endeavours. She also expressed confidence that the enduring partnership between Jamaica and Belgium, enriched by Ambassador De Geest's dedicated service, will continue to grow from strength to strength.

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[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, GOJ @mfaftja]

As Her Excellency Ellen De Geest, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Jamaica, prepares to conclude her tour of duty later this month, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith, was pleased to receive her for a farewell courtesy call earlier today.

The meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the strong friendship and enduring partnership between Jamaica and Belgium, grounded in mutual respect, shared values and a longstanding spirit of cooperation. Minister Johnson Smith conveyed Jamaica’s sincere appreciation for Ambassador De Geest’s dedication to advancing bilateral relations during her tenure and thanked her for the warmth, professionalism and collaborative spirit she brought to the relationship.

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[Gaspard Van Goethem @GVG_Diplo]

@AndrewHolnessJM PM @AndrewHolnessJM, agreed. Spain only let in one goal during the whole world cup, and it was against Belgium ! #RedDevils #Fifa

[Brian McDonald @BrianMcDonaldIE]

Imagine the Anglo-American media reaction if the Kremlin had directly called FIFA during Russia 2018 asking it to review a card for a Russian player.

We’d still be getting Netflix documentaries about it.

[Gaspard Van Goethem @GVG_Diplo]

2018 #BELJAP 🇯🇵
2026 #BELSEN 🇸🇳

Crazy how the Red Devils can make us buzzing. Now, against our 🇺🇸 friends hosting the World Cup.

Come on !

[Belgian Red Devils @BelRedDevils]

2026 - 2018, deja vu. 👀

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Belgium warmly welcomes the announcement of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, aimed at ensuring peace, including in Lebanon. We commend the intensive efforts of Pakistan, Qatar and all other mediators to reach that result.

We hope for a swift implementation and re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation. We stand ready to help to ensure this.

This deal must open a new era for the region. It must also open a new era in Iran. An era without nuclear programme and with authorities hearing the legitimate democratic aspirations of their citizens.

@BelgiumMFA @BelgiumISB @BelgiuminQatar @BelgiumintheUSA

[Min. of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining, Jamaica @moafjm]

Ps. They were accompanied by Amb. Shorna‑Ka Richards (MFAFT), Her Excellency Marianne Ziss, Amb. of France to Jamaica, & Gaspard Van Goethem, First Secretary of the Embassy of Belgium.

[Min. of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining, Jamaica @moafjm]

Hon. Franklin Witter, Minister of State, joined FAO Assistant Director‑General René Orellana Halkyer on a tour of farming & fishing communities in St Elizabeth impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

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[Rene Orellana Halkyer @FAOAmericasADG]

En #Jamaica, con Franklin Witter, Ministro de Agricultura, Pesca y Minas; Shorna-Kay Richards, Subsecretaria de Asuntos Multilaterales; Marianne Ziss, Embajadora de Francia; y Gaspard Van Goethem, 1er Sec. de la Embajada de Bélgica; visitamos zonas afectadas por huracán Melissa.

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

(EN/FR/NL) A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children.
I would like to thank my colleagues from other countries who have already come forward to express their solidarity, and I naturally join them in offering my condolences to the families of the victims. My thoughts are with them, and also with the emergency services who had to deal with this harrowing incident.
—
Une collision tragique entre un train et un bus scolaire s'est produite ce matin à Buggenhout. Quatre personnes ont perdu la vie, dont deux enfants. Je tiens à remercier mes collègues d'autres pays qui ont déjà manifesté leur solidarité, et je m'associe naturellement à eux pour présenter mes condoléances aux familles des victimes. Mes pensées vont vers elles, ainsi qu'aux services d'urgence qui ont dû faire face à cet incident dramatique.
—
Vanmorgen heeft zich in Buggenhout een tragische botsing tussen een trein en een schoolbus voorgedaan. Vier mensen zijn om het leven gekomen, onder wie twee kinderen. Ik wil mijn collega’s uit andere landen bedanken die al hun medeleven hebben betuigd, en ik sluit me uiteraard bij hen aan om mijn medeleven te betuigen aan de families van de slachtoffers. Mijn gedachten gaan uit naar hen, evenals naar de hulpdiensten die met dit dramatische incident te maken hebben gehad.

@BelgiumMFA

[The European Union in Jamaica @EUinJamaica]

“Europe and Jamaica may be separated by geography, but we remain closely connected by values, aspirations, and shared convictions,” European Union Ambassador Dr. Erja Askola.

https://t.co/rL38nwQBFO

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

🇺🇸 Mr. Ambassador @BillWhiteUSA,
I urge you to exercise greater restraint and to view your role in its proper context. It is inappropriate to publicly criticize a country and tarnish its image simply because you disagree with judicial proceedings. I have already told you this. Would you consider it acceptable for our Ambassador in Washington to do the same?

In Belgium, the judiciary is independent and makes its decisions—whether one agrees with them or not—free from any political influence.

I recall that the proceedings in question were initiated by representatives of the Jewish community themselves. To portray those as a country’s desire to undermine the religious freedom of Jews is defamatory. This freedom has never been called into question and never will be in our country. Our Constitution protects it.

And it is not for an ambassador to dictate the government’s agenda.

@BelgiumMFA @StateSEAS @SecRubio @DeputySecState

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

These allegations are false and completely unfounded. There has been no transfer of arms from Belgium to Burundi.

Unfortunately, this kind of disinformation is not new. It mainly serves the interests of those who seek to fuel tensions — whether between Belgium and Rwanda or more broadly across the region — and to undermine ongoing efforts toward dialogue and peace. I therefore urge everyone not to fall into this trap.

Belgium’s position remains clear and consistent: there is no military solution to the conflict in eastern DRC. The only viable and sustainable way forward is a political one, based on dialogue and the negotiation of an inclusive and lasting peace.

@RealMumbogo_S

[Stéphane Séjourné @steph_sejourne]

Excellente nouvelle pour la souveraineté numérique européenne ! 👇

La Commission UE attribue un appel d’offre de 180M€ sur 6 ans à 4 acteurs européens du cloud (Post Telecom 🇱🇺, StackIT 🇩🇪, Scaleway 🇫🇷, Proximus 🇧🇪 & leurs partenaires CleverCloud, OVHcloud, S3NS, Clarence et Mistral) afin de faire passer son cloud (et celui de ses agences et autres entités) sous bannière européenne 🇪🇺

Avec ce nouveau cap, nous faisons le choix de notre indépendance, de notre sécurité et de l’innovation made in Europe.

Plus d’infos 👉 https://t.co/lYkGXKhYQi

[EU Home Affairs @EUHomeAffairs]

🌍✈️ Planning to #TravelToEurope?

From 10 April 2026, non-EU nationals traveling for a short stay will be recorded in the Entry/Exit System (EES) at all external borders of Schengen countries.  

🎥 Watch the video to see how the EES works. 

🔗 https://t.co/WkkeBuYFy4

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

(FR/NL) Passage au centre de crise où les équipes travaillent 24/24h pour rapatrier les voyageurs belges. Environ 80 personnes se succèdent au téléphone.
Et bonne nouvelle : les opérations de rapatriement vont s’intensifier !

(SOUS RÉSERVE DE L’ÉVOLUTION DES CONDITIONS SÉCURITAIRES ET OPÉRATIONNELLES)

1. Le vol militaire MRTT au départ d’Oman demain soir vers Bruxelles est bien confirmé et permettra de rapatrier 185 Belges.

2. Les autorisations ont été obtenues pour des vols militaires au départ des Émirats arabes unis. Deux avions A400M devraient transporter chacun environ 100 personnes dimanche de Dubaï à Hurghada. Les meilleures solutions sont actuellement examinées pour que nous les ramenions ensuite jusqu’à Bruxelles.

3. Un vol charter avec Cyprus Airways au départ de Dubaï vers Bruxelles avec escale technique à Chypre, a été commandé et est prévu dimanche soir. Il permettra de ramener environ 180 personnes.

Nous savons que l’attente est longue et éprouvante. Mais les pièces du puzzle se mettent en place. Tout est mis en œuvre, en bonne collaboration avec la Défense et nos partenaires européens, pour ramener au plus vite et de manière sécurisée les Belges qui en ont fait la demande.
——
Bezoek aan het crisiscentrum, waar de teams 24 uur op 24 werken om Belgische reizigers te repatriëren. Ongeveer 80 mensen wisselen elkaar aan de telefoon af. En er is goed nieuws: de repatriëringsoperaties zullen worden opgevoerd!

(ONDER VOORBEHOUD VAN DE EVOLUTIE VAN DE VEILIGHEIDS- EN OPERATIONELE OMSTANDIGHEDEN)

https://t.co/WbkZr15zVp militaire MRTT-vlucht die morgenavond vanuit Oman naar Brussel vertrekt, is bevestigd en zal 185 Belgen kunnen repatriëren.

https://t.co/S0CBliVddX nodige toelatingen zijn verkregen voor militaire vluchten vanuit de Verenigde Arabische Emiraten. Twee A400M-vliegtuigen zouden zondag elk ongeveer 100 personen van Dubai naar Hurghada vervoeren. Momenteel wordt bekeken wat de beste oplossingen zijn om hen vervolgens tot in Brussel te brengen.

https://t.co/cA1xcTAqwV is een chartervlucht met Cyprus Airways besteld, die zondagavond vanuit Dubai naar Brussel zal vertrekken met een technische tussenstop op Cyprus. Met die vlucht kunnen ongeveer 180 mensen worden teruggebracht.

We weten dat het wachten lang en zwaar is. Maar de puzzelstukken vallen stilaan op hun plaats. Alles wordt in het werk gesteld om de Belgen die daarom hebben gevraagd zo snel en zo veilig mogelijk terug naar huis te brengen, in goede samenwerking met Defensie en onze Europese partners.

@BelgiumMFA

[Gaspard Van Goethem @GVG_Diplo]

De tout cœur avec nos collègues expatriés et locaux de @BelgiumMFA au Moyen-Orient en ces heures et jours difficiles à venir.

« Les Hommes font l’histoire mais ne savent pas l’histoire qu’ils font. »
@BelgiumJRS @BelgiuminIsrael @BelgiuminQatar @BelgiuminUAE @BelgiuminRiyadh

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

Dear Minister Sa'ar,

Belgium is home to one of Europe's oldest Jewish communities. We are proud of that. And we will do everything to keep it that way.

When a synagogue is targeted, we are outraged. When graves are desecrated, we are disgusted. When Jewish students face harassment, we want consequences.

And we act, every day. A national antisemitism coordinator leads an interfederal mechanism where Jewish community leaders sit as permanent partners. Our prosecutors work under explicit zero-tolerance instructions for hate crimes. Courts convict those who spread hatred and Holocaust denial, under laws that go beyond European minimum standards. Our new Criminal Code, entering into force in April 2026, makes discriminatory motive an aggravating circumstance for every single crime.

When the threat demands it, we protect. Since October 7, 2023, every Jewish school, synagogue and community centre operates under reinforced police surveillance.

But Belgium's approach goes far beyond repression and protection. We invest in prevention, education and resilience, because that is how you root out hatred for good. Our schools teach about the Holocaust and contemporary antisemitism with dedicated IHRA-aligned programmes. The Jewish Museum of Belgium runs a project bringing Jewish life, culture and identity into classrooms across the country. Football fans caught chanting antisemitic slurs are sent to Kazerne Dossin - the memorial site from which Jews were deported - for mandatory education programmes, with intake, guided visits and supervised reflection. The federal government has commissioned dedicated research into online antisemitism, mapping hate speech patterns, platforms and policy responses. And since April 2024, police register antisemitic incidents under a dedicated indicator, because you cannot fight what you do not measure.

Is it enough? As long as one Jewish Belgian feels unsafe walking to shul, we have work to do. We carry that responsibility every single day.

Now, Minister Sa'ar, let's be honest with each other.

You mention the case of mohels in Antwerp. The judicial investigation was initiated following a complaint by a member of the Jewish community itself, concerning a specific medical practice. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of ritual circumcisions are performed legally in Belgium every year, without any interference. Presenting this as persecution of Jewish life is a distortion of the facts.

And it is part of a pattern. You have taken the real fears of real people and turned them into an argument against Belgium's foreign policy. Jewish Belgians deserve our full protection. They do not deserve to be used as leverage in a dispute about international law.

Let me be precise. We suspended consular services for Belgian citizens established in settlements that the International Court of Justice has declared illegal. This applies regardless of religion, nationality or background. It is an application of international law, nothing more, nothing less.

And let us not be naive about what is really happening here. Ever since Belgium chose to firmly condemn all violations of international law, some Israeli leaders have pursued a campaign of amalgamation, deliberately conflating our principled legal positions with antisemitism. That narrative is false.

International and Israeli studies confirm this. The 2026 Annual Report of Tel Aviv University warns explicitly that the inflationary use of the term antisemitism undermines the fight against real anti-Jewish hatred. The same report finds no evidence of broad societal antisemitic sentiment in Belgium, nor of political parties that support or normalise antisemitism. It highlights that Jewish representatives in Antwerp describe their cooperation with police and authorities as effective and reliable.

We will protect our Jewish community with everything Belgium has. We will always listen to their concerns. And we will keep calling out violations of international law, by anyone.

[Maxime PREVOT @prevotmaxime]

(EN) Any suggestion that Belgium is antisemitic is false, offensive, and unacceptable. Belgium condemns antisemitism with the greatest firmness. The fight against antisemitism, and all forms of hatred and discrimination, is an absolute priority for our country.

Everyone must be able to practice their faith without fear of violence, discrimination, or persecution. This is a cornerstone of our rule of law. It's not negotiable.

Belgian law permits ritual circumcision when performed by a qualified physician under strict health and safety standards. The specific case referenced is subject to a judicial investigation. I refrain from commenting on ongoing proceedings.

Labeling Belgium as antisemitic is not just wrong, it's dangerous disinformation that undermines the real fight against hatred.

About the statements made by the U.S. Ambassador @BillWhiteUSA: they are unacceptable.

An ambassador accredited to Belgium has a responsibility to respect our institutions, our elected representatives, and the independence of our judicial system. Personal attacks against a Belgian minister and interference in judicial matters violate basic diplomatic norms.

The Ambassador has been immediately summoned for a meeting this Tuesday.

Belgium welcomes dialogue with all partners. But interference in our democratic institutions and false accusations cross a line that cannot be crossed. Respect for sovereignty works both ways.

@BelgiumMFA

[flexyflow @flexyflow]

Un mail de doccle, pour me dire que j'ai un message dans doccle, pour me dire que j'ai un message sur myminfin, et un mail de myminfin, pour dire que j'ai un message de myminfin, pour me dire que sur myminfin j'ai un nouveau document à lire 🎉