11 February 2008 – Philippine Ambassador to Belgium Cristina Ortega commended  Philippine Honorary Consul to the Duchy of Luxembourg Alain Kinsch for his efforts to  advance and uphold Philippine interests in Luxembourg.  

Mr Kinsch was featured in the Letzebuerger Journal, a major daily in Luxembourg, in its 1-2 December 2007 issue. “My keen interest on the Asian region, the Philippines in particular, motivated me to submit my application for the position as Honorary Consul”, he stated.

Despite his busy schedule as a businessman, he finds challenge in carrying out his tasks as Honorary Consul of the Philippines. Presently, Mr. Kinsch is a Partner and Head of the Private Equity Division of the Ernst & Young in Luxembourg. He is a holder of a degree in Economics and Financial Studies from the University of Paris-Dauphine, and attained his MBA from INSEAD, one of the world’s leading and largest graduate business schools which is based in Fontainebleau, France.   

Among the duties delegated to the Honorary Consul are 1) to provide consular services; 2) to foster and  develop the existing bilateral relationships between the Philippines and Luxembourg; and 3) to represent the Philippines during Filipino gatherings and Luxembourg’s national day celebrations.

He hosted a diplomatic reception in Luxembourg to commemorate the 109^th Philippine Independence Day, which also paved the way to officially introduce Ambassador Cristina Ortega to the diplomatic and the business communities in Luxembourg. Mr. Kinsch has also  supported the Embassy by arranging various meetings with officials from the Government of Luxembourg and the business sector to promote Philippine interests.

Ambassador Cristina Ortega is now focused in pursuing projects with the Government of Luxembourg on microfinance. Efforts are also underway to conclude an Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation before the year ends.

Mr. Kinsch has strong confidence in the competence of Filipinos in the fields of accounting and operation of call centers. He looks forward to having local companies in Luxembourg invest in the Philippines through the business process outsourcing (BPOs), and increase the import/export relations between the two countries. The Honorary Consul highlights the Filipinos’ ability to speak English, as a major attraction for companies in Luxembourg for doing business in the Philippines.

According to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006, Luxembourg is the 9th most competitive country in the world and the 3rd most competitive within the European Union. The top three are the United States, Hongkong and Singapore respectively. The open economy of Luxembourg makes it one of the most viable for international companies conducting business in Europe. A member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg) Economic Union, and one of the founding members of the European Economic Community (currently the European Union), Luxembourg is now home to the European Court of Justice, the European Investment Bank, the General Secretariat of the European Parliament, and the European Court of Editors. END.