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Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 15-07-2023 | 20:38

The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, announced the Netherlands’ €7.5 million contribution to the project in March 2022. That amount has now increased to €15 million.

‘Normally, as minister, it’s my job to deal with the repercussions of disasters,’ Ms Schreinemacher noted. ‘But in this instance we have a chance to prevent a disaster. The Safer is a ticking time bomb. We need swift action. It’s encouraging that so many countries have pledged their financial support. Thanks in part to the Netherlands’ contribution we now have the necessary funds to start salvaging the vessel. Obviously, all the other parties will have to follow through on their pledges as well. The Netherlands stands ready to help the UN start this operation as soon as possible.’

Supertanker

FSO Safer is a 40-year-old supertanker moored around 8 kilometres off the coast of Yemen with a huge cargo of oil. Due to years of neglect, the vessel is decaying. The risk of leakage, fire or even an explosion is high. If no action is taken, large quantities of oil could spill into the Red Sea.

The consequences of an oil spill would be enormous. It would have a huge impact on the environment and shipping and on the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people who depend on small-scale fishing. The UN estimates that a spill would cost $20 billion to clean up and that it would take another 25 years for fish stocks to recover from an ecological catastrophe of this magnitude. Taken together, these potential consequences pose a huge humanitarian risk for a country that is already suffering food shortages. The UN is therefore committed to taking swift action, in concert with a number of countries including the Netherlands.

What will happen next?

Now that Boskalis has given the go-ahead, all the oil will be transferred to a specially equipped tanker. The Safer can then be safely cleaned and towed away. It is still uncertain what will be done with the oil. Difficult issues first need to be resolved in light of different countries’ contributions and interests. But everyone agrees on one thing: the first step is to transfer the oil from the Safer as quickly and safely as possible in order to avert a huge humanitarian and environmental disaster.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 05-07-2023 | 15:45

Ukraine Envoy

The government has appointed Roderick van Schreven as Special Envoy for Business and the Reconstruction of Ukraine. Mr van Schreven, who has had a long career as a senior diplomat, possesses both the necessary experience and an extensive network of contacts within the Dutch and international business communities. This will enable him to advise Dutch companies effectively and support them in making contact with multilateral organisations.

Reconstruction and healthcare

The ongoing war continues to take its toll on Ukrainian society and the economy. As a result, there is a great need for assistance. The government has allocated €83 million for repair works and healthcare, €58 million of which will go to repairing infrastructure, residential buildings and drinking water facilities. The remaining €25 million has been set aside for medical equipment and support for mobile clinics. In order to implement this aid package, the Dutch government is working closely with the UN, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, Dutch public drinking water companies and NGOs.

Emergency aid and human rights

The destruction of the Kakhovka dam has had major consequences for Ukraine. The Netherlands is working, at both bilateral and multilateral level, to support victims of this disaster. To that end, this second aid package includes €10 million for emergency aid. These funds are intended for goods like rescue boats.

An amount of €875,000 will be donated, via the Dutch Human Rights Fund, to local NGO projects to support Ukrainian human rights defenders. They play a key role in providing access to reliable information, particularly for people living in occupied areas.

Support for the private sector

The government supports companies that want to do business with Ukraine while also contributing to the reconstruction of the country. The emphasis is on sectors of the economy where the need is greatest and where Dutch involvement would have the greatest added value: agriculture, water and healthcare. In practice, however, companies are facing a number of challenges, including funding obstacles arising from the war.

With this in mind the government is allocating €25 million in grants to companies and civil society organisations. These grants will go to projects that meet the needs of the Ukrainian people and contribute to reconstruction and recovery. Starting in September, companies and civil society organisations can submit project proposals, in partnership with local organisations, to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.

Additional financial support is also being provided to a Ukrainian company in the western part of the country, for the construction of a plant for manufacturing building materials. The necessary machinery will be supplied by a Dutch SME. The government is also exploring ways of offsetting the risks faced by businesses that export to or invest in Ukraine, by means of a guarantee or insurance facility.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 30-06-2023 | 09:00

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher said, ‘We’ve taken this step on national security grounds. It’s good for the companies that will be impacted to know what they can expect. This will give them the time they need to adapt to the new rules.’

Under this ministerial order, it will now be necessary to apply for an export authorisation for the export of certain types of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The order deals with a number of very specific technologies for the development and manufacture of advanced semiconductors. Because of the specific ways they can be used, these semiconductors can make a key contribution to certain advanced military applications. The uncontrolled export of goods and technologies therefore potentially poses national security risks. The Netherlands bears an extra responsibility in this regard because this country has a unique, leading position in this field. Like the export control policy in general, this additional step is country-neutral.

‘We’ve given careful consideration to this decision and drafted the ministerial order as precisely as possible. That way, we can address the most important vulnerabilities without causing unnecessary disruption to the global manufacture of chips,’ the minister remarked.

For the official publication in the Government Gazette (Staatscourant), please click on this link.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 20-06-2023 | 18:45

“Yesterday, I had the honor of meeting with Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, and Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra, in The Hague, Netherlands,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.  “The U.S. partnership with the Netherlands is one of our oldest and closest, and our strong bilateral relationship is critically important as we confront common challenges.  Ensuring accountability for Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine was at the top of our agenda.  We are grateful that the Netherlands has agreed to host the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (the ICPA), which will be based at Eurojust.  I am pleased to announce that I have appointed an experienced federal prosecutor, Jessica Kim, to serve as the United States’ Special Prosecutor for the Crime of Aggression and our representative in this important effort.  We will continue to seek justice alongside, and stand with, our Ukrainian partners, for as long as it takes.”

“The Netherlands is the host nation to the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine and is honored to do so,” said Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.  “We view the ICPA as the first step towards justice for the crime of aggression committed by the Russian Federation and its leadership. We see the commitment by the United States to appoint a Special Prosecutor for the Crime of Aggression as very valuable and call on other states to support this endeavor to ensure justice and exclude impunity.”

“The Netherlands greatly appreciates the close cooperation with the United States in supporting Ukraine, and in the fight against impunity for atrocities committed by Russia’s unjustified war of aggression,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra.  “We will continue to work together to bring those responsible to justice, including through the work of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, as well as the Register of Damages Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which will also have its seat in The Hague.  The Register will serve as a record of evidence and claims information on damage, loss or injury caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 12-06-2023 | 20:06

Last Thursday, Liesje Schreinemacher (Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Coordination) announced that the Netherlands will assist Ukraine by means of emergency equipment. Since her announcement, the amount of assistance has been increased. Dutch water authorities are providing 40 boats, 75 water pumps, 20 lifebuoys, 370 life jackets and 120 waders. This contribution is being done in cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution (Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij). The Royal Lifesaving Federation of The Netherlands (Reddingsbrigade Nederland) is providing 22 life boats.

All the equipment has been collected in a depot of the Ministry of Defense in Vriezenveen (Overijssel). From there, fifteen trucks – containing the first part of the goods – have left for Ukraine today. The transport is being financed, in part, by the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the efforts on behalf of the Netherlands. 

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 12-06-2023 | 15:00

For some time now, the Netherlands and Canada have been pursuing justice for the many victims of the Syrian regime and seeking to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable. ‘Syrian citizens have been tortured, murdered, disappeared, attacked with poison gas or forced to flee for their lives and leave behind everything they had,’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra said. ‘These large-scale atrocities have been reported on extensively by international organisations. Establishing accountability and combating impunity are important elements of achieving a lasting political solution to the conflict in Syria. Bringing this case before the ICJ is a major next step on the long road to that goal.’

It is the Dutch government’s position that there is ample evidence demonstrating that Syria has committed serious human rights violations against Syrian citizens on a grand scale. This evidence has been gathered by various bodies, including the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, the UN’s investigative body for Syria. This is why the Netherlands decided to invoke state responsibility against Syria in September 2020; Canada joined this process in March 2021.

For over two years the Netherlands and Canada have attempted to reach a negotiated settlement with Syria, in line with the dispute resolution mechanism set out in the UN Convention against Torture. These talks have not led to a solution. In addition, Syria did not consent to the proposal for arbitration within the six-month period stipulated by the Convention. For this reason, it was decided to bring the case before the ICJ on 8 June 2023, in an effort to compel Syria to comply with its obligations under the Convention, to which Syria is itself a State Party.

Syria has been notified of this decision in the form of a diplomatic note from the Netherlands’ Permanent Representation to the UN in Geneva. The Netherlands and Syria have had no diplomatic relations since 2011, but they are both represented at the UN in Geneva.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 11-06-2023 | 09:00

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher announced the aid on Thursday. According to initial estimates, the cost of providing it will be at least €500,000.

Ms Schreinemacher said: ‘We are doing everything in our power to help Ukraine with this as well. What has happened is devastating. I am grateful to the water authorities, the KNRM and the Royal Lifesaving Federation of the Netherlands for their rapid assistance. In the days ahead we will examine what else we can do for the affected region.’

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 05-06-2023 | 16:10

‘Making clean, renewable energy accessible to everyone is the key to a sustainable society and a sustainable economy,’ said Ms Schreinemacher. ‘The Russian war in Ukraine has put energy security higher on many countries’ agendas. I’m proud of the Dutch design, which showcases the innovative solutions that the Netherlands has to offer and introduces visitors to the possibilities of a zero-emission future driven by circularity.’

The pavilion was designed by architecture firm RAU, engineering consultancy DGMR, experience design studio Tellart and Japanese construction company Asanuma. These parties have extensive experience in circular design and construction and specialise in solutions for safe, sustainable and healthy living environments. 

Cross-border challenges and solutions

Expo 2025 Osaka centres around the challenges facing a world where major crises relating to matters such as climate change and health will determine our quality of life. These cross-border challenges require international cooperation. The Netherlands Pavilion is therefore intended as a place that brings together different perspectives and expertise to create joint solutions. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up a multi-year campaign in the run-up to the Expo. During the Expo itself businesses, knowledge institutions, governments and cultural organisations will come together in the pavilion to share knowledge and expertise. Events, visits, trade missions and exhibitions will be organised in the lead-up to the Expo as part of the Road2Osaka programme. Businesses and organisations will be invited to participate, and the pavilion and programme will also offer opportunities for sponsorship.

The design

The theme of the Netherlands’ participation is ‘Common Ground: creating a new dawn together’. The contribution introduces new technologies that will use water power to generate zero-emission energy, making energy more accessible to everyone. The rising sun in the pavilion’s design symbolises unlimited clean energy, and the pavilion itself is also completely circular. 

Host country

Japan is the world’s third largest economy and an important trade partner for the Netherlands. In 2022 the Netherlands exported goods worth nearly €4.3 billion to Japan. In the same year Japan exported €7.4 billion worth of goods to the Netherlands. The Netherlands is also a major destination for Japanese investment.

‘The year 2025 will mark 425 years of Dutch relations with Japan,’ said Ms Schreinemacher. ‘Japan is an important partner for us when it comes to innovation, trade, culture and politics. Expo and Japan offer Dutch companies, organisations and art institutions many opportunities to share their knowledge and work together.’

Like the Netherlands, Japan faces pressing and complex challenges, including climate change, resource scarcity, food insecurity, demographic ageing and maintaining access to the healthcare system. Opportunities for Dutch businesses and organisations are primarily in the areas of the energy transition, agriculture and horticulture, life sciences and health, digitalisation and culture. Various ministries and public and private parties are organising activities in the lead-up to and during Expo to put these Dutch sectors on the map and help businesses take advantage of opportunities.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 31-05-2023 | 11:26

Geopolitical and geoeconomic competition

The Africa Strategy sets out the Netherlands’ approach to cooperation in Africa in the coming decade. The Netherlands enjoys good relationships with many of the 54 countries on the African continent, collaborating closely on political matters, trade and development cooperation.

At the same time, both the Netherlands and the EU face geopolitical challenges and competition with other countries expanding their influence in Africa. Examples include China’s large-scale investment in infrastructure and critical raw materials, Russia’s disruptive influence in the region, and the increasing involvement of other players such as the Gulf states. In light of these developments, the Netherlands needs to strengthen its own involvement in Africa together with the EU and other European countries.

Mutual interests

The political, economic and security interests of European and African countries are closely intertwined. It is in the interests of countries in both Africa and the EU, including the Netherlands, to tackle and rein in conflict, violent extremism and terrorism. The EU is Africa’s most important trade partner and investor, and a major provider of development funding and humanitarian assistance. The African continent has large reserves of critical raw materials, such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth metals that are needed for the energy transition. After extraction in Africa, many of these raw materials are first transported elsewhere for processing before arriving in the EU. African countries would benefit from processing these materials themselves.

Instability and a lack of prosperity directly affect African citizens’ daily life and prospects, prompting some to seek safety or build a future away from the continent. Preventing irregular migration will therefore continue to be a major element of Dutch and European efforts in African countries.

Integrated approach

The Africa Strategy is the Netherlands’ first integrated strategy for the African continent as a whole. One element of the strategy is an action-based agenda that translates vision and commitment into actions in the short, medium and long term. It is underpinned by an awareness of the value of understanding each other’s positions and a willingness of each to support the other in the areas to which they attach importance.

The Africa Strategy is the product of broad consultations and in-depth discussions among social partners, knowledge institutions, businesses, the African diaspora, international organisations and government in the Netherlands, Europe and, above all, Africa itself.

Source: Government of the Netherlands

News item | 18-08-2020 | 19:55

Most infections at private gatherings

On the basis of the latest advice from the Outbreak Management Team (OMT), some additional measures are being introduced at national level. What the OMT’s advice has shown is that private gatherings at people’s homes are where the most infections are occurring. This includes family events, birthday parties, drinks with neighbours and social gatherings among friends.

Maximum of 6 guests at home

The most significant new measure is that the government strongly and urgently advises people to limit the number of guests they receive at home to a maximum of six (excluding children under 13). This includes both indoors and in outdoor spaces like gardens. Guests should also be asked whether they have any symptoms and if so, they should not attend. It goes without saying that people should always stay 1.5 metres away from each other.

Allocated seats for everyone

Parties, drinks and other events involving large groups of people should preferably be held in hospitality venues where there is more space and guests have an allocated seat, can register their contact details and must confirm they have no symptoms. Guests should have at least 1.5 metres between them and physical contact should be avoided. The government would ask venue hire companies and restaurant, bar and café owners and managers to make sure the rules are being complied with, if that is not already the case. There will be a greater focus on this in terms of enforcement too.

Work from home

Of all the measures that have been introduced since the start of the pandemic, the advice to work from home wherever possible has proved one of the most effective. This advice was not time-limited and so the advice remains: work from home wherever possible.

Self-quarantine for 10 days

If you have travelled to a region that has an orange travel advisory due to coronavirus, or if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive, you should self-quarantine. The OMT has advised that the quarantine period can be reduced from 14 days to 10 days.

Symptoms? Stay at home and get tested

In addition, anyone with symptoms should continue to stay at home and get tested. This will ensure that the vast majority of infections are prevented. In the event of a positive result, source and contact tracing will be carried out. This will allow us to gain a clearer picture of the virus in the Netherlands, so we can take fast, targeted action to prevent it spreading further.

Children with symptoms stay home

Everyone is working hard to make sure schools are safe. Part of that is ensuring that children stay home if they have symptoms. Children must also stay at home if someone in their household tests positive; something that was emphasised once again during the press conference.

Summary

• From now on, receive no more than 6 guests at home (indoors and outdoors), excluding children under 13.
• Continue working from home whenever possible.
• The self-quarantine period has been reduced from 14 days to 10 days.