Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, has launched the Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Facility (SDGP). The facility will fund projects by public authorities, businesses, NGOs, and knowledge institutions aimed at sustainable food production and private-sector development.

The total budget of the facility is €70 million, half of which will be made available at the end of this year and the other half in 2019. The SDGP is the successor of the Sustainable Enterprise and Food Security Facility (FDOV), which supported more than 50 projects in various developing countries, including Ethiopia and Kenya. The SDGP requires 50% co-financing. The maximum funding provided by the Ministry is €3 million per project.

Press release - government of the Netherlands

Partos, the Dutch umbrella organization for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), has published a reaction to the country's new development policy, released by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag.

While generally positive, Partos raises concerns that the interests of the Dutch business community seem to trump the interests of civil society. While the policy document recognizes the shrinking space of civil society organizations (CSOs), it fails to articulate in detail the importance of CSOs to development in the coming years. Partos is also critical that the goal of achieving 0.7% official development assistance (ODA) to gross national income (GNI) target is relegated to 2030, the year by which all sustainable development goals (SDGs) must be achieved. 

News article - Partos (in Dutch)

Policy document - Government of the Netherlands (in Dutch) 

The Netherlands has released its new development policy, titled ‘Investing in Perspective: Good for the World, Good for The Netherlands’. The policy was spearheaded by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Sigrid Kaag, and approved by the Cabinet and the Parliament. 

The policy stresses that development cooperation, as an integral part of foreign policy, is aimed at combating root causes of poverty, migration, terrorism and climate change. According to the strategy, sectors to receive additional funding include education, climate change, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), with new contributions to the Global Financing Facility (GFF). 

With the new policy, the government is working on four closely linked main objectives: 1) preventing conflict and instability, 2) reducing poverty and social inequality, 3) promoting sustainable inclusive growth and climate action worldwide, and 4) strengthening the international earning capacity of the Netherlands.

Policy document - Government of the Netherlands (in Dutch) 

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag announced €400 million (US$442.5) over the next four years for humanitarian aid and support to regional host countries to relieve the suffering of Syrians in Syria and its neighboring countries and to help maintain regional stability. With this funding, the Netherlands will contribute to education and employment for both refugees and host communities.

Kaag made the announcement during a conference in Brussels organized by the European Union and the United Nations (UN) devoted to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and its impact on Lebanon and Jordan. A large proportion of the pledged amount will be channeled through the UN and other international and non-governmental organisations to support Lebanon and Jordan, two new focus countries of Dutch foreign policy.

Press release - Government of the Netherlands

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag announced the government’s decision to support the World Bank’s proposal for a substantial capital increase during the bank’s spring meeting in Washington, DC.

The Netherlands is one of the bank’s many shareholders that have agreed to provide a capital injection totalling US$13 billion. This will enable to bank to generate US$100 billion in loans annually for the next decade, over a third more than it would be able to provide without the additional funding. In exchange for the capital contribution, the bank has ramped up its ambitions in the battle against poverty, conflict, climate change and gender inequality, at the urging of the Netherlands and other European partners. 

News release - Government of the Netherlands

Partos, the NGO umbrella organization, in partnership with a variety of actors in Dutch development cooperation, have published the report ‘Adapt, Counteract or Transform (ACT); The future of Dutch development cooperation’. The report explores four scenarios that represent a spectrum of possible futures in 2025 and a section featuring 'A future we want'. 

Aimed at allowing all actors in this field to ensure they are adequately resilient and flexible towards the future, the publication provides different dynamics, challenges, and opportunities that players in Dutch development cooperation will need to prepare for and might need to adapt to.

The report can be explored through an interactive website or downloaded as a PDF. 

Interactive report - Partos

The new Dutch cabinet has presented a new comprehensive agenda on migration. It comprises 6 pillars and focuses on the root causes of migration, in line with the intentions set out in the Coalition Agreement of the current coalition government.

These pillars focus on preventing irregular migration, strengthening reception and protection in the region, shaping a robust and solidary asylum system within the European Union and the Netherlands, reducing illegality and strengthening return processes to homelands, promoting legal migration routes, and stimulating integration and participation. 

This is the first integral agenda on migration, conceived by, and for, different ministries.

Press release – Government of the Netherlands (in Dutch)

Share-Net Netherlands has published a report on which NGOs, universities, and Dutch ministries, address Sexual and Gender Diversity (SGD). Besides an overview of the main findings, the report includes recommendations for addressing the gaps found and suggestions on strengthening research on the topic. 

Report– Share-Net

In preparation for the 22nd International AIDS Conference taking place in Amsterdam from July 23-27,  2018, the International AIDS Society is calling for 800 volunteers to help with on-site organization. Volunteers must be over 18 and will be scheduled for half-day shifts with the possibility to attend some sessions for free. 

Applications will be considered in chronological order, with the first applications submitted considered first, and the system closing once all positions have been filled.

Press release – International AIDS Conference

During the Netherlands chairmanship (March 2018) and membership (2018) of the United Nations Security Council this month, several underrepresented items will be placed high on the international agenda, with conflict prevention as one priority.  Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sigrid Kaag will brief the Security Council on the situation in the Lake Chad region. Since 1950 the lake has shrunk significantly, which has resulted in large consequences for food availability and living conditions for nearly 20 million persons. 

Press release - Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Dutch)