Naaldwijk 11/01/2021
Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will attend the official opening of the Netherlands Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai during the Netherlands’ national day on 3 November 2021. They will be accompanied by foreign trade and development minister Tom de Bruijn, who will be leading a simultaneous trade mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on sustainable urban development. They will also visit a sustainable greenhouse grower in the UAE, who integrates Dutch knowledge and product solutions into its daily business operations.
Nearly 50 Dutch companies from the water, sustainable energy, food, urban development and logistics sectors are participating in the trade mission. ‘I’m pleased that so many Dutch entrepreneurs see opportunities for growth here,’ Mr De Bruijn says. ‘There’s great demand in the Gulf region for sustainable solutions in these sectors. For instance, ways to grow crops using less water. Our companies have a lot to offer, and Expo – and the Netherlands Pavilion – offers them a fantastic podium to showcase themselves to the Gulf region and the rest of the world. The Dutch government is keen to help them capitalise on this opportunity.’
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs mandated the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) to organise the trade mission. Ingrid Thijssen, president of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW), is the lead business representative. The mission is part of a broader six-month programme in the Netherlands Pavilion during Expo 2020 Dubai. It includes a number of weeks centred around specific themes, during which Dutch businesses and other organisations in the highlighted sectors can grow their networks and do business with partners in the Gulf region and beyond. Themes include climate, healthcare, food security and water. (source: RVD)
Knowledge exchange on sustainable food production
Dutch Greenhouse Delta’s CEO Eric Egberts participated in this trade mission and promotes knowledge exchange on sustainable food production between the Netherlands and the Gulf region. Egberts: ‘’The Dutch have a pioneers position in developing innovative solutions for smart agriculture techniques. These integral solutions for producing food locally in a region with challenging climate conditions, involving water-energy-food simultaneously, can be of great use for further ensuring food security in the Gulf. This is exactly where the Netherlands and the Gulf Region can join forces. A gradual shift from exporting food products to the Gulf Region, to exporting knowledge and technologies that will help increase sustainable local food production in the region. This fits in the current government policy of the Netherlands as well as of the Gulf countries. Knowledge exchange on sustainable food production is not only of regional, but also of global importance to reduce the environmental impact caused by food production.’’
