This year, 2022, marks fifty years of bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Our ties are warm and friendly, and we are full of anticipation for the next fifty years. With our successful Expo 2020 Dubai participation still fresh in mind, we have a lot to look forward to.
Food Security
As I am writing this article, H.E. Minister Mariam Almheiri is heading a trade delegation to the Netherlands, focused on food security and horticulture. More than 30 representatives from the Emirati horticultural sector joined her to visit GreenTech – a leading 3-day horticultural technology exhibition in Amsterdam – and the Floriade Expo 2022. On the first day of her visit, Minister Almheiri addressed the pressing topic of food security in her keynote opening speech at GreenTech: “Just as the Netherlands have looked at innovation and technology, we are doing the same — to really look into what kind of foods make sense to grow in the UAE, harnessing the power of technology.”
The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural produce in the world, while also one of the most densely populated countries. By co-creating technologies with partners from the private sector and knowledge institutions, we work to find solutions to global challenges, using expertise from areas such as artificial intelligence and robotics. Optimizing local production with a minimal usage of scarce resources, is key in what the Netherlands stands for.
Being a partner for other countries in increasing food security, be it through knowledge or technology transfer, is very important for the Netherlands. Logistical costs make global supply less economically feasible. The pandemic has shown us how fragile supply chains can be. The war in Ukraine not only impacts the people of Ukraine. In our region, food prices are increasing and foreign powers knock on the door to secure energy supply.
Floriade Expo 2022
The city of Almere in the Netherlands is the stage for the seventh edition of the international horticulture exhibition – Floriade Expo 2022. Floriade is organized only once every ten years and the main theme of this edition is ‘Growing Green Cities’. This outdoor Expo lasts six months and is open till October 9th, 2022.
The UAE is a prominent participant, with a stunning 3D printed pavilion, with the theme ‘Salt Water Cities: Where land meets the sea’. The pavilion exhibits how the UAE has been resilient and was able to overcome the challenging environment of desert and sea to grow into sustainable and thriving communities. Featuring interactive sculptures and immersive installations, the UAE pavilion is a living lab encouraging visitors to learn about the abundance of salt-loving plants that thrive in the country’s challenging arid climate.
Uniting Water, Energy and Food
The UAE and the Netherlands share many commonalities, including the importance of innovation and “making the best of what we have”. The UAE has done an outstanding job in the execution of the mega project Expo 2020 Dubai, especially given the challenges the pandemic posed. It was an honor to be part of this world exhibition, where the whole world was represented, highlighting the aspirations of humankind. Our participation in Expo 2020 Dubai is exemplary of the Dutch approach when it comes to innovation. With the multi-year, regional strategy themed “Uniting Water, Energy and Food”, architect V8 led a consortium that put together a fully circular biotope in the Dubai desert. The “SunGlacier” machine on the roof of the pavilion captured 1,200 liters of water per day from the air.
This water was used for three purposes: cooling the pavilion, as drinking water, and for watering the edible herbs and leafy greens that grew on the central cone in the pavilion. On the inside of the cone, we grew delicious oyster mushrooms. The water harvesting machine was powered by beautiful organic solar cells, built into the skylights of the pavilion. All the construction materials for the pavilion were sourced locally. We are deconstructing the pavilion and repurposing all the materials, preferably in the form they were originally intended for. The characteristic sheet piles, for instance, will be used in other construction projects up to ten times!
As a result of all the innovation and hard work done in the Netherlands pavilion, we can proudly share with you that we have received over 10 awards including the “Best Sustainability innovation” and “Best Architecture & Landscape”.
Continued Focus
In our journey to unite Water, Energy and Food, Expo 2020 Dubai was instrumental. We have had the honor to host many VVIPS, delegations and over 950,000 visitors. Our national day was an absolute highlight, with the visit of our royal couple, as well as a trade mission headed by our minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. The MoU for the Joint Economic Committee was signed during this visit, with the aim to intensify bilateral trade. We have hosted 125+ events at our Expo pavilion, all with a focus to further develop the ties between the UAE and the Gulf region and the Netherlands.
With the progressive measures the UAE takes to be an even more business friendly destination, we see increased interest in the UAE by our Dutch clients, the Netherlands’ businesses. Building on the facilities freezones have to offer, the initiatives taken facilitate FDI and 100% foreign ownership, and the excellent positioning as a hub, we see a steady increase in business set-up and expansion. The UAE is an important trading partner for the Netherlands, ranking 3rd in the EU as trade partner and being one of the top priority countries in our foreign economic policy. Moreover, the Gulf region is a priority region for the Netherlands, providing the proverbial magnifying glass for all opportunities that arise here.
Momentum
Building on the strategy of Uniting Water, Energy and Food, where Expo 2020 Dubai has proven to be an accelerator for our bilateral interests, we’re now in the midst of celebrating our 50 years of bilateral relations with the UAE. This momentum is worth treasuring, especially with more relevant events coming up. With anticipation we’re looking out to the next big climate conference COP28. This theme is at the core of what drives us; jointly developing solutions for global challenges, that make a difference for the generation of today as well as for those to come.
