RIYADH: For Ambassador Joost Reintjes, assignment in the Kingdom as the new Dutch envoy is both ramping up bilateral relations as well as undertaking a sentimental journey.
“Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands have strong ties and these could be further strengthened. They also go a long time back into the past,” the 55-year-old Dutch envoy, who recently assumed his post in the Kingdom, told Arab News on Thursday.
First Secretary Jeroen Gankema was also present during the interview at the Dutch Embassy inside the Diplomatic Quarter.
He added that “my assignment in the Kingdom is also some sort of a sentimental journey. As a youngster, I was adventurous and hitchhiked and visited various places of the Kingdom.”
“A couple offered me shelter in Jeddah. I stayed two nights and I wrote them later on to express my thanks. I received at least two replies,” he said.
He said that closeness between the two countries could be seen in different ways, such as the visit of Dutch officials to Saudi Arabia and vice versa.
"King Willem Alexander came to the Kingdom when King Abdullah passed away. The deputy vice minister of international trade will also come for a visit soon,” he said.
The two countries bilateral trade amounting to SR24 billion, with the amount split between them. Dutch exports to the Kingdom include agricultural products, food, among others, while its imports include plastic, oil and petrochemicals.
He added that “Foreign Ministry Director for the Middle East Birgitta Taze laar also visited the Kingdom, and Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Bilateral Relations Khaled Al-Jindan has been invited to come to the Netherlands.”
He said that Shoura Council member Hayat Sindi also traveled to the Netherlands. Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih has been invited to visit the Netherlands.
Moreover, he said that about 700 Saudi students are studying in the Netherlands, most of them taking medical courses either at Groningen University or Maastricht University. “What’s interesting is the fact that after five or six years, these students speak Dutch and treat Dutch patients in hospitals as part of their training to be good doctors,” he said.
On the cultural front, former Dutch Ambassador Marcel Kurpershoek will come to Saudi Arabia to give lectures on Saudi poetry. “There’s also a growing interest among Dutch nationals to come to Saudi Arabia to study Islam and take up Islamic studies,” he said. He said that on sports, Dutch nationals are working in the Kingdom in the field of soccer, like Bert van Marwijk as coach of the successful Saudi national team. On tourism, 35,000 Saudis annually visit Holland.
“Historically, the two countries go a long time back. Dutch explorers, scholars and diplomats used to visit Jeddah where we had an office,” he said. The office used to serve pilgrims from Indonesia which was governed by the Netherlands as a colony.
The first Dutch consulate was set up in Hijaz but we closed that 10 years ago for financial reasons.
“Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands have strong ties and these could be further strengthened. They also go a long time back into the past,” the 55-year-old Dutch envoy, who recently assumed his post in the Kingdom, told Arab News on Thursday.
First Secretary Jeroen Gankema was also present during the interview at the Dutch Embassy inside the Diplomatic Quarter.
He added that “my assignment in the Kingdom is also some sort of a sentimental journey. As a youngster, I was adventurous and hitchhiked and visited various places of the Kingdom.”
“A couple offered me shelter in Jeddah. I stayed two nights and I wrote them later on to express my thanks. I received at least two replies,” he said.
He said that closeness between the two countries could be seen in different ways, such as the visit of Dutch officials to Saudi Arabia and vice versa.
"King Willem Alexander came to the Kingdom when King Abdullah passed away. The deputy vice minister of international trade will also come for a visit soon,” he said.
The two countries bilateral trade amounting to SR24 billion, with the amount split between them. Dutch exports to the Kingdom include agricultural products, food, among others, while its imports include plastic, oil and petrochemicals.
He added that “Foreign Ministry Director for the Middle East Birgitta Taze laar also visited the Kingdom, and Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Bilateral Relations Khaled Al-Jindan has been invited to come to the Netherlands.”
He said that Shoura Council member Hayat Sindi also traveled to the Netherlands. Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih has been invited to visit the Netherlands.
Moreover, he said that about 700 Saudi students are studying in the Netherlands, most of them taking medical courses either at Groningen University or Maastricht University. “What’s interesting is the fact that after five or six years, these students speak Dutch and treat Dutch patients in hospitals as part of their training to be good doctors,” he said.
On the cultural front, former Dutch Ambassador Marcel Kurpershoek will come to Saudi Arabia to give lectures on Saudi poetry. “There’s also a growing interest among Dutch nationals to come to Saudi Arabia to study Islam and take up Islamic studies,” he said. He said that on sports, Dutch nationals are working in the Kingdom in the field of soccer, like Bert van Marwijk as coach of the successful Saudi national team. On tourism, 35,000 Saudis annually visit Holland.
“Historically, the two countries go a long time back. Dutch explorers, scholars and diplomats used to visit Jeddah where we had an office,” he said. The office used to serve pilgrims from Indonesia which was governed by the Netherlands as a colony.
The first Dutch consulate was set up in Hijaz but we closed that 10 years ago for financial reasons.
