Policy Updates

On December 21, 2023, the Netherlands launched its first support package of 2024 to Ukraine, totaling EUR102 million (US$111 million) and aimed at providing urgent needs to help Ukraine get through winter and prepare for spring.

On December 15, 2023, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Geoffrey van Leeuwen announced intentions for the package during a visit to Ukraine. The package's allocations were:

• EUR62 million (US$67 million) to support the Ukrainian Government in delivering basic services, restoring critical infrastructure, and ensuring reforms through the Special Program for Ukraine and Moldova Recovery, part of the IDA of the World Bank;
• EUR15 million (US$16 million) for humanitarian assistance via UNOCHA’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund;
• EUR15 million (US$16 million) for the demining of agricultural lands and liberated areas; and
• EUR10 million (US$11 million) in supplies for the Ukrainian electricity network.

The package is part of more than EUR2 billion (US$2.2 billion) that the Netherlands has reserved for support to Ukraine in 2024. Of this, EUR2 billion (US$2.2 billion) will go towards military support, EUR295 million (US$212 million) towards the European Peace Facility, EUR89 million (US$97 million) to combat impunity, and EUR3 million (US$3.3 million) for non-military cyber support.

On December 1, 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a commitment of EUR150 million (US$164 million) to IFAD’s 13^th replenishment.

The funds are meant to help IFAD double its impact on smallholder productivity, income, and resilience.

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher stressed that the threat that climate change poses to global food production and emphasized that small-scale farmers need international investment to effectively adapt to the impacts of climate change.

On May 22, 2023, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher and Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Mark Harbers submitted a letter to the Dutch House of Representatives reporting on the Dutch contributions of EUR778 million (US$844 million) at the UN Water Conference held in New York from March 22-24, 2023.

In the letter, the ministers reflected on the positive feedback from the conference, particularly regarding the inclusion of more NGOs. They also outlined a key outcome of the conference, the Water Action Agenda, which resulted in more than 800 voluntary commitments, actions, and initiatives totaling approximately US$300 billion, with a significant amount of commitments made by the private sector and new public-private partnerships.

The ministers also shared a list of Dutch contributions, including:

• EUR50 million(US$54 million) to increase the resilience of vulnerable communities in East Africa to water-related crises;
• EUR140 million (US$150 million) for renewed collaboration with UNICEF in eight African countries to promote access to WASH services;
• EUR240 million (US$257 million) over a four-year period to renew knowledge of agriculture, water, and food;
• A EUR200 million (US$214 million) subsidy over 10 years to ‘promote soil fertility in sub-Saharan Africa’
• US$20 million for an ADB program to increase the resilience of people in Asia and the Pacific Ocean to climate change;
• US$80 million for the World Bank’s Global Water Security and Sanitation Partnership to support countries with their WASH, water security, and water management;
• EUR8 million (US$9 million) for drinking water companies for climate adaptation; and
• EUR40 million (US$43 million) to strengthen collaboration with water authorities.

Other non-financial contributions included MoUs and contracts with Morocco and South Africa on water, a contract with Invest International, Mozambique, and the World Bank around coastal protection, and a Declaration of Intent with Germany to formalize Dutch support to the future Urban Water Catalyst Fund, which will provide small investments in infrastructure by water drinking companies. The ministers also mentioned that the Netherlands’ insistence and the water conference have resulted in the European Council underscoring the need for a stronger EU commitment and strategy on water and water security.

The ministers also committed to keeping up the momentum of the conference by highlighting the Water Action Agenda in different fora, such as the High-Level Political Forum in July 2023, the SDG Summit in September 2023, the international climate and biodiversity summits, the G20 summits, and the Summit of the Future in 2024. They also shared the Netherlands's plan to develop an addendum to the 2019 policy on Dutch International Water Ambition (NIWA) to ensure policy cohesion between national and international policy and as much as possible connect the topic of water to climate, food, finances, energy, urbanization, health, and biodiversity.

While the letter showed a promising picture of the Netherlands’ continued efforts to promote water security worldwide, Dutch media expressed skepticism. For instance, the NRC, a national news outlet, published an op-ed arguing that cuts to the Dutch development budget in spring 2023 decreased the credibility of the Dutch government’s commitment towards global development.

On April 24, 2023, more than 60 Dutch CSOs published a manifesto to urge the government to ensure that the upcoming national Agriculture Agreement works for both national and international farmers, supports food security, and reduces the Dutch environmental footprint.

On November 25, 2022, Dutch Minister for Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality Piet Adema announced that the Netherlands aims to establish a national Agriculture Agreement. Adema outlined the agreement’s two objectives in a letter to the Senate:

1. The agreement should describe how the Dutch agricultural sector will be future-proof and bolster the economy and earning capacity of farmers in different areas, such as the production of food and raw materials, through support and legal frameworks; and
2. The agreement must describe how the agricultural sector will contribute to solving major nature restoration, water, and climate challenges.

The agreement envisions the Netherlands enabling sustainable transitions and return on investments in farms by 2040. Adema described that multi-stakeholder discussions and buy-in are key to the success of the upcoming agreement, which is expected to be published mid-May, 2023.

On April 24, 2023, a group of 60+ CSOs, including NGOs and academics, published a manifesto to urge the government to broaden the agreement’s focus. They argued that the Netherlands’ agricultural sector is closely linked to production and consumption abroad, and as such, reform should be viewed in an international context. They urged legilators for a strategy for international sustainable agriculture that prioritizes strengthening local food security and ecosystems, rather than Dutch foreign trade interests.

The manifesto closes with eight recommendations for Minister Adema and the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher. Recommendations include:

• Ensuring that the national Agricultural Agreement creates a level playing field for Dutch farmers but does not hurt local food security in low- and middle- income countries;
• Promoting female farmers’ land rights and inclusion in discussions around sustainable and fair food transition; and
• Focusing on reducing the Dutch environmental footprint and strengthening the capacity of local food markets and production in low- and middle-income countries, for instance, through increased financing for small-scale female farmers that promote the production and consumption of plant-based proteins.

On April 3, 2023, Ministers Liesje Schreinemacher and Wopke Hoekstra reported the first support package for Ukraine in 2023.

Through a new supplementary budget, the Dutch government will provide an additional EUR180 million (US$193 million) for humanitarian assistance, recovery and reconstruction. An additional EUR19 million (US$20 million) was allocated from a second supplemental budget for reconstruction and cultural preservation.

The additional funding came from the government’s reserve of EUR2.5 billion (U$2.7 billion) for Ukraine in 2023. The ministers wrote that they are providing this first support package for 2023 in light of the World Bank’s needs assessment for the long-term reconstruction costs of Ukraine changing from US$349 billion in September 2022 to US$411 billion on March 29, 2023.

Of the extra €180 million (US$193 million) for humanitarian assistance, EUR140 million (US$150 million) will be channeled through multilaterals. The World Bank’s Ukraine Relief Trust Fund will receive EUR60 million (US$64 million), and the EBRD will receive EUR40 million (US$43 million) to reconstruct key infrastructure, including for health care, transport and housing, energy supply, agriculture, and education. The World Bank’s private-sector arm, the IFC, will receive EUR40 million (US$43 million) to support Ukrainian farmers and agri-producers with seeds and materials.

Schreinemacher also earmarked EUR30 million (US$32 million) of the EUR180 million package for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. EUR20 million (US$21 million) will got to UNOCHA, and EUR10 million (US$11 million) will support various partners to provide mental health care and psychosocial support.

Schreinemacher also announced EUR10 million (US$11 million) in ODA to demining agricultural land, through Minister Hoekstra’s Foreign Affairs budget. In addition to extra funds, Schreinemacher appointed a special envoy to promote the involvement of the Dutch business community in the reconstruction of Ukraine.

In a second supplementary budget totaling EUR94 million (US$101 million), Hoekstra allocated EUR14 million (US$15 million) to the fight against impunity for international crimes, including the Dialogue Group on Accountability, to establish a war damage register in The Hague. Another EUR5 million (US$5 million) was allocated toward protecting and preserving identity-defining culture in Ukraine.

The ministers closed their letter with a commitment to inform the House of Representatives of the next support package before the summer recess.

On February 28, 2023, Ambassador Yoka Brandt of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Jonibek Ismoil Hikmat of the Republic of Tajikistan expressed the need for stakeholders to find game-changing solutions to current water-related crises.

Brandt and Hikmat made the statement in a UN interview as co-hosts of the upcoming UN Water Conference, which will take place from March 22-24, 2023.

The UN 2023 Water Conference is meant to unite various stakeholders, including youth, women, and Indigenous peoples to find solutions to the multifaceted water-related crises. Example topics include adapting to storms and floods, drought and groundwater scarcity, and polluted drinking water. The Ambassadors also highlighted the relationship between water challenges and broader issues of food and energy security, global health, and climate change.

During the interview, the two co-hosting countries committed to presenting a Water Action Agenda with bold commitments to accelerate progress towards the water-related goals on March 24, 2023, the final day of the conference.

Brandt also highlighted that the Netherlands has increased national and international efforts to promote clean, accessible, and safe water. In May 2022, the Netherlands initiated the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, which has a two-year mandate to look at new policies, approaches, and collaboration to radically change how the Netherlands manages water as a common good. In July 2022, the Netherlands also made its first commitment to the Water Action Agenda by doubling its joint contribution with Dutch Water Authorities to the Blue Deal to EUR10 million (US$11 million) per year over 2023-2030 to provide 20 million people globally with sufficient access to sufficient, clean, and safe water.

On February 1, 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will strengthen its partnership with Niger to combat irregular migration, improve border control, combat human smuggling, and increase protection of migrants in Niger and their voluntary return to countries of origin.

The announcement came during a joint visit to Niger by Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher and Secretary of State Eric van den Burg. The ministers first visited Agadez, a hub for migration routes throughout Africa. Irregular migrants often travel via Niger to Libya or Algeria and then continue to Europe. Then, the government representatives met with Niger authorities in the capital Niamey to discuss security and development cooperation.

The Dutch government contributes €40 million (US$43 million) to Niger annually to support projects on water, food security, employment opportunities for youth, SRHR, and increasing access to justice. The Dutch government has also supported the work of a migration center of the IOM in Agadez. The organization offers assistance to migrants who are not from Niger and have been deported from Algeria and helps them register for voluntary return to their country of origin.

The government wrote that it wants to work closely with Niger to explore solutions for border security.

On January 18, 2023, Dutch news platform Vice Versa hosted a debate on the coherence of Dutch development cooperation policy with various government representatives, highlighting challenges regarding climate action and food security.

The debate was organized in response to the launch of the third action plan on policy coherence for development cooperation in November 2022. Participants of the debate included representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, and members of parliament.

While the event highlighted the alignment of Dutch development efforts with EU-level policy, it also emphasized disharmony between domestic ministries.

On the topic of food security, participants noted persistent difficulties in coordinating efforts between the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similarly, the debate centered on the difficulty and urgency of clarifying the role of the Netherlands in climate adaptation and developing adequate evaluation tools.

However, participants in the debate noted a general trend of increased cooperation, such as in the upcoming launch of the Netherlands' circular economy program, and suggested increasing cooperation between ministries would continue to be a priority.\

On December 23, 2022, ministers Schreinemacher (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) and Adema (Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality) presented the House of Representatives with an action plan on how the Netherlands will contribute to global food security.

Citing the recent negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and conflict, which have increased the costs of energy, fertilizer, and food worldwide, the ministers emphasized the need to intensify efforts toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger.

The action plan stated that the Netherlands’ food security budget will increase by €450 million (US$486 million) from 2022-2027. The new funding will prioritize the resilience of food consumption, production, and markets in low- and middle-income countries (LICs, MICs). Key priorities include supporting sustainable local practices like farmer-managed natural regeneration. The government also highlighted the importance of supporting countries’ food systems plans, also known as 'National Pathways,' to promote climate-resilient local food production.

The ministers stated that the Netherlands will mainly provide contributions to multilateral institutions, such as the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) Crisis Response Initiative, and the UN Crisis Response Group.

Additionally, the ministers wrote that the Dutch government is preparing a contribution of US$30 million to the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) African Emergency Food Facility, which will make seeds and fertilizer available to farmers for the upcoming sowing seasons. The ministers also committed to adding €10 million (US$11 million) and €9 million (US$10 million) to the existing programs of Dutch NGOs Agriterra and Solidaridad to mitigate the effects of the food crisis. Finally, the Netherlands committed to establishing a new faculty of the Dutch Enterprise Agency (RVO) with a total budget of €12 million (US$13 million) to fund initiatives that help combat the food crisis, which is expected to publish its first call for proposals in early 2023.

On November 28, 2022, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released its 'Theory of Change' for private sector development.

'Theories of Change' are the name given by the MFA to intermediate documents that propose adjustments to existing strategies, in this case, to the Netherlands' 2022 Development Cooperation Policy.

The document stated the government will support strong small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth. In particular, the plan highlighted the need for firms to provide equitable income for women and youth.

The plan targeted ministry efforts in three areas, namely:

• Strengthening the business climate within 40 priority countries by supporting trade unions, employers’ organizations, and farmers’ cooperatives so that they can better represent the interests of their supporters and offer them better services;
• Improving trading conditions and making production and trade more sustainable. The Netherlands committed to focusing mainly on the value chains it is most active in (e.g., cocoa, palm oil, and textiles), but also on logistics, including ports. The MFA wrote it will focus on public-private partnerships and policy coherence between international trade agreements, and European and national legislation regarding international corporate social responsibility; and
• Making the financial sector in priority countries more sustainable and inclusive. The MFA's plans in this sector work to provide appropriate financial products and services to SMEs, especially to those owned by women and youth, through active policy advocacy and technical assistance.

The document connected the three portfolios’ work with two long-term goals: creating a better environment for private sector development that will ensure stronger SMEs, and supporting stronger SMEs that provide more and better work and sustainable economic development.

However, while the document outlined the MFA's plans to measure progress (e.g., the number of legal and policy reforms implemented), it did not mention specific targets (e.g., how many legal or policy reforms the MFA aims to implement).