Dutch ambassador in Brasília

Aldrik Gierveld

Dutch ambassador in Brasília

Aldrik Gierveld has been ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Brazil since 2025.

See the Curriculum Vitea of ambassador Gierveld on Rijksoverheid.nl (in Dutch).

Interview Aldrik Gierveld - Meet the ambassador

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What originally motivated you to work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

“My path towards diplomacy was shaped by different interests at different moments. At first, I considered becoming a journalist. Driven by a desire to better understand how the world works and where power relations lie, I decided to study political science in Amsterdam. During those studies, I felt a growing interest to deepen my understanding of these issues and therefore started studying law alongside political science.

This made me interested in becoming a lawyer, particularly because of the question of how conflicts and problems are resolved, and what we, as societies, consider to be just. At the same time, my interest in international politics remained strong. During my military service, in the period of the East-West conflict, I was confronted for the first time with international relations in a very concrete way. That experience stayed with me. At that point, I thought that perhaps diplomacy would be something for me. I decided to give it a try and applied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where I started in 1990. I never left the Diplomatic Service although I was seconded to the European Commission, the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture. Working for the Government and especially Foreign Affairs brought together many of my interests.”

What was the first thing you noticed about Brazil, the streetscape and the way of life?

“Brazil was not unfamiliar to me before I arrived. I remember that once, during my school years, I wrote a paper about the country. Even then, simply looking at the map already sparked a fascination: the continental scale of Brazil, its vast territory and its abundance of natural resources and features such as water and forests were outstanding.

Brazil is a young country with a very diverse population, shaped over time by different groups. Those that were already here, the diversity of the indigenous peoples, the enslaved peoples who were brought over and many waves of migration from different parts of the world. Brazil truly is a melting pot. That diversity is clearly visible in everyday life and in the streetscape. You sense a society that has been formed by many different histories and influences.

I think Brasília, in particular, reflects something I find characteristic of Brazil. It is a city built on the idea that the future can be shaped deliberately. That a country can decide to create something new and ambitious. There is a pioneering spirit here, a belief that the future is open and still being formed. That combination of youth, diversity and future-looking spirit makes Brazil a fascinating place to experience and to get to know.”

 

The Netherlands and Brazil have longstanding diplomatic relations. What is the importance of these relations?

“In today’s world, strong bilateral relations matter more than ever. Brazil is a key partner for the Netherlands on many global issues. Developments at the global level are reflected in Brazil. This ranges from economic growth, trade and investments, the functioning of democracy, the fight against organised crime, biodiversity loss and climate change.

Brazil is an essential partner when it comes to finding joint solutions to shared global challenges. The Netherlands and Europe needs Brazil as a partner in addressing these global challenges, just as Brazil can benefit from reliable international cooperation and Dutch and European expertise. We are both strongly future-oriented and internationally focused.

The relationship between the Netherlands and Brazil is also about cooperation between governments, businesses and knowledge institutions, and about learning from one another. Our shared focus on the future gives the bilateral relationship its strength and relevance.”

What can the Netherlands learn from Brazil?

“Brazil operates on a scale and with a level of complexity that is different from what we are used to in the Netherlands. Dealing with that scale requires realism and pragmatism, as well as the ability to move from abstract discussions to concrete action.

Brazil is a country that operates in a dynamic context and continues to navigate significant challenges. Observing how this shapes decision-making and action offers valuable perspectives. It is useful to reflect on how a strong focus on the future and a willingness to keep building can help navigate periods of rapid change and uncertainty.

What are you looking forward to most in your upcoming period as ambassador?

“What I am most looking forward to is getting to know the country and its people better. Brazil is extraordinarily diverse, and every encounter offers a new opportunity to deepen my understanding of its society, culture and different perspectives. I also look forward to working together on concrete results and to continuing to share the story of the Netherlands in Brazil.

Travelling the country, from north to south and from east to west, is an important part of that process. Meeting people from across Brazilian society and listening to their stories helps me to better understand the realities of the country and the issues that matter most to them. For me, every encounter contributes to building a stronger connection with the country and its people.”

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.