Toespraak van minister Schultz van Haegen bij de ontvangst van Joko Widodo, President van Indonesië

Toespraak | 22-04-2016

Mr President, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Selamat Datang!  

 
Welcome on board. It’s a great honour to meet you and show you some typical highlights of the Netherlands.  

And of course, it’s fitting that we should meet here on the water! Not only because we’re proud of our water-related achievements. Not only because water is at the heart of our social and economic development. But also because water is a vital part of the ties between our countries.

Mr Widodo, when it comes to water, you have great ambitions. In your inaugural speech you said: 'Oceans, seas, straits and bays are the future of our civilisation'.

You want Indonesia to embrace the water. And transform your country into a global maritime fulcrum.

We too are a maritime nation. So I recognise – and welcome – your maritime initiatives and ambitions.

And I'm delighted by your interest in Dutch knowledge and expertise. I’m proud that our dredging companies, shipbuilders, engineering firms and research institutions have such a good reputation. So I'm glad we have signed this morning a new MoU on maritime cooperation. I'm sure it will give fresh impetus to our efforts to exchange knowledge and expertise.

Many Dutch companies are eager to work with Indonesian partners, and help your country in all water-related issues. As I said, water is a vital part of the ties between our countries.

But there's more to our relations than water. Our historical bond also makes your visit a special one. Like many people in the Netherlands, I too have close personal links with Indonesia. Especially with Jakarta, because 3 generations of my family lived there. In fact, my father was born there. I have precious memories of my many visits to your country.

Seeing and observing for yourself....
Speaking to people face to face....

Thát's the key to better understanding each other’s challenges.

That brings me to where we are right now.

 

We want to show you some of our country’s unique places, like here − Maasvlakte 2 − and the Maeslant storm surge barrier, which we'll see later today.

Both are excellent − and very different − examples of how we build with water.

Maasvlakte 2 is our answer to the questions:

• How can we extend a vital port in one of the most populated parts of the country?
• And how can we develop this port without damaging its viability?

I'm sure you have the same questions in your own country.

The Maeslantkering is the world’s most innovative storm surge barrier. It's special to us because its construction marked the completion of our first Delta Plan − the very symbol of our centuries-old battle against water.

2 years ago we launched the 2th Delta Plan. 60 years after the first, we needed new strategies. The biggest difference between the 2 plans is prevention. We’ve shifted the emphasis from holding back the water to working with water.

For instance, by equipping our cities to handle surplus water. And giving our rivers more space, like here on the photo.

It’s close to the city of Nijmegen where the river not only makes a sharp bend; it’s also a bottleneck. This increases the risk of high water levels and flooding.

So, we moved the dyke and dug a channel through the flood plain. This will create a new island and a unique urban river park with lots of possibilities for recreation, culture, water and nature.

These examples show the experiences we’ve had, the lessons we’ve learned, and the knowledge we’ve gained. It’s crucial for the Netherlands to refresh its knowledge and renew its strategies. After all, our existence depends on good water management.

• A quarter of our country is below sea level.
• And two-thirds would flood immediately if we had no dykes and dams.

So the battle against water and working with water is something that Indonesia and the Netherlands have in common. I have great respect for Indonesia’s openness to Dutch expertise and know-how.

I’m proud that over the past four years we’ve contributed to almost 30 projects in your country. The flagship of our work together is of course the NCICD project.

The current MoU has been in place for 15 years now. In April last year, we renewed the basis for our cooperation by signing a new MoU on water.

These are notable moments. Not only because of their economic significance. But also because they mark a new step in the longstanding ties between our 2 countries. A new step towards a promising future.

I wish you all every success.

Thank you.

 

Mr President, there is one more thing.
I talked about the intensive cooperation and the projects in your country we have been contributing to.   

This magazine provides an inspirational glimpse of how this cooperation is put to work.

It’s an honor if you let me hand over this Magazine to you.  
So, please, if you want to join me….