The ambassador

André Driessen

Dutch ambassador in Brasília
André Driessen has been ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Brazil since 2021.


See the curriculum vitae of ambassador Driessen on rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch).

What's it like to be the Ambassador to Brazil?

I’m deeply honoured to serve as ambassador to this vast and multifaceted country. I have a special connection with Brazil because I lived here as a young boy when my father worked for Philips in São Paulo. It makes for a nice story, though admittedly I don’t actually remember it very clearly. Brazil has changed incredibly in the more than 50 years since then, and emerged as a major player in the global arena. The Netherlands has strong ties to Brazil, rooted in a historical relationship spanning the 17th century, immigration in the early 20th century and our intensive cooperation in recent years. I'm so pleased that in 2021 I was able to take on the task of fostering common ground between the Netherlands and Brazil. It’s been a rewarding job, with so many building blocks already in place. Over the past few years we’ve achieved a lot in terms of bringing our two countries together.

What does cooperation between Brazil and the Netherlands look like in practice? Could you share some examples?

Our countries already work together in a lot of different ways, with partnerships between businesses, universities and cultural institutions and in various combinations of all three. One great project is the collaboration between the Port of Rotterdam and the port city of Pecém, in the northeastern state of Ceará. That was a strategic choice that offers very good prospects in terms of our future energy security.

With its abundant supplies of sustainable energy, including wind and solar power, Brazil is set to become a major producer of green hydrogen. By working together on a green hydrogen production centre in Pecém, Rotterdam can direct a large amount of Brazil's green hydrogen to the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe.

The Port of Rotterdam isn’t the only Dutch company getting involved in Brazil. Pecém could act as a magnet for the economic activity that Brazil's relatively underdeveloped northeastern region is in need of. But there are many other smaller and larger examples of cooperation. Like the mural that an indigenous Brazilian artist will be painting in the Mauritshuis in The Hague, beautifully reflecting new insights into our shared history.

What can the Netherlands learn from Brazil?

There are two things that I particularly admire about Brazilians. First, they’re very upbeat people with a sunny outlook on life and a generally optimistic attitude, and they enjoy sharing good times with friends and family. This approach to life is also evident in their approach to work and their knack for finding a positive side to everything.

The other thing I appreciate is their ability to improvise – that’s something that really sets them apart from Dutch people. We're so fixated on organising things and slotting them into strict time frames. A little more flexibility can often make things easier. On the other hand, Brazilians might have something to learn from our appreciation of organisation and planning. Those are things they like about us. So a balanced blend of both approaches would be ideal.

When you talk to Brazilians, what do they want to know about the Netherlands?

Brazilians are generally familiar with all the usual things: Amsterdam, tulips, Dutch football and of course our expertise in agriculture and water management. That means it's important to talk about other aspects of the Netherlands too, because there's so much more to our country. People are fascinated to learn that the Netherlands is partially below sea level and to hear what this has meant for our history and development. And that we were a very forward-thinking republic in the era of our shared colonial history.

Lots of people are also surprised to hear that many of the flowers that are produced and traded in Brazil come from Holambra, a community founded by Dutch immigrants. And they’re intrigued by how much time we all spend on our bicycles. Another aspect they're interested in is the fact that we play a prominent role in so many areas; they like to hear about our economy, our exports, our high investment rate and our world-class universities.

What developments have you seen in relations between the Netherlands and Brazil during your term as Ambassador, and what do you hope for the future? 

Relations between our countries have intensified in recent years, in part because Brazil has once again opened the door to the world and sought out connections with other countries on a range of issues. We work together in a lot of different areas and there’s still much more we could achieve together.

Brazil and the Netherlands have drawn up a roadmap for bilateral relations – a path we can take in the coming years to enhance cooperation on politics, economics, culture, education, sustainable development and many other areas. We're looking forward to 2030, a year of friendship when we’ll be commemorating 400 years since the foundation of Dutch Brazil. 

We work together in a lot of different areas and there’s still much more we could achieve together.

Brazil will host COP30. Are Brazil and the Netherlands partners in the fight against climate change?

Of course we're partners. We have every reason to be! We sometimes underestimate the importance of Brazil's role in addressing major global challenges in the areas of food and food security, the energy transition and raw materials. For one thing, it can help mitigate the effects of climate change by nurturing and protecting its own considerable biodiversity. Brazil is a prime example of the meaning behind the Netherlands’ sustainability slogan ‘Solving global challenges together’. No country can tackle these issues alone. Sharing knowledge, expertise and experience, and collaborating on projects, all help to lay the foundations for a better, safer and more sustainable future for us and for future generations.