Netherlands Minister of Economic Affairs, Henk Kamp, during a visit to Dubai and Al Alin on Wednesday and Thursday to further strengthen bilateral relations and to enhance future cooperation between the Netherlands and U.A.E.
Last year, Minister Kamp also visited the U.A.E. together with representatives of companies from the Dutch gas sector.
On Wednesday, the Netherlands minister visited the Marine Terminal Operator DP World in Jebel Ali, together with a representative of the Port of Rotterdam. Later he visited Dubai World Central (DWC) which, upon completion, will become the world's largest airport. The Netherlands has a strong logistic position worldwide through the port of Rotterdam and airport Schiphol and would welcome intensifying its cooperation with Dubai as the growing logistical hub.
Furthermore the minister attended a roundtable on cooperation in the agro sector between U.A.E. importers and Dutch exporters further boosting mutual business opportunities.
Yesterday, Minister Kamp visited the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain which was built by Dutch contractor BAM International. There he inaugurated phase 2 of the development at the stadium, which exists of residential and retail developments, a four-star hotel and infrastructural works around the stadium.
In Al Ain also, the Netherlands minister visited Strata Manufacturing, a centre of excellence in the field of the manufacturing of composite parts for the aerospace industry. At Strata Minister Kamp was briefed on the developments taking place in the U.A.E.'s aerospace industry and possibilities for cooperation with the Netherlands. The Minister will also launch a public-private ‘Knowledge to Knowledge Programme' which is aimed at further promoting knowledge exchange between the Dutch and the Emirati aerospace sector.
With its excellent infrastructure, modern business practices and low barriers to market entry, U.A.E. is an important trade partner for the Netherlands. Thanks to the many opportunities in sectors such as energy, logistics, infrastructure, agro and food, high tech and aerospace many Dutch companies have found their way to U.A.E. with an estimated number of 200 Dutch companies based in U.A.E. including multinationals like Shell, Unilever, Philips, AkzoNobel, Friesland Campina, Van Oord, Boskalis, Vopak, Fugro and Damen Shipyards.
With 2.4 billion euros, U.A.E. is the largest export market for the Netherlands in the GCC region, with more than 40 per cent of all the Dutch exports to the Gulf going to U.A.E. Total trade between both countries is estimated at 3.4 billion euro.