The embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands will not close immediately but will be phased out. What are the priorities?

We will gradually scale down the operations of the mission in Harare, phasing out within two years. During this period, the team remains focused on excellent service to our current clients and partners, including consular support, economic development work and our civil society initiatives on water, youth and climate action. We are not taking on new commitments, but we are ensuring the full and proper completion of our active partnerships.

Some of the platforms and networks we work in will continue after we close, such as the recently launched Netherlands Zimbabwe Business Network. Ultimately, this should be driven by interested companies, and we will keep nurturing it until it can continue on the strength of its usefulness and membership.

Our diplomatic work also continues. We remain fully committed supporting Zimbabwe’s debt and arrears resolution process, and supporting the Dutch BIPPA (Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement) farmers. This is critical to the farmers themselves, who lost their businesses, and to restoring investor confidence. I am very grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe for the good progress so far on the compensation of BIPPA farmers, and I believe it is key to keep this momentum.

Dutch ambassador Matthijs van Eeuwen at the graduation ceremony of around 700 young people supported by Young Africa, an organisation of Dutch origin partly supported by the current Dutch Regional SRHR Programme.

What motivated the decision?

The world is changing fast and budgets are under pressure, so the Netherlands has to make difficult choices. We are reorganizing our diplomatic network to make it as effective as possible in this new geopolitical reality, and the closure of our embassy in Harare is part of that process. It is not a judgement on Zimbabwe or on our relationship. The decision follows from long-term planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the same budgetary pressure affects other missions as well as the Ministry itself.

How much has the Netherlands channeled to Zimbabwe annually in grants, loans and aid? What effect will the closure have on programmes?

The amount has varied considerably over the years. As an embassy, we have generally had relatively modest delegated funding to support local organizations working on human rights, gender equality, climate action, water management and the environment, and to strengthen private sector development.

I want to emphasize that while the direct embassy programs have been excellent, Dutch-Zimbabwean relations have always been much bigger than the embassy. The vast majority of Dutch funding reaches Zimbabwe through multilateral partnerships and regional programmes managed from The Hague, other Dutch embassies, the EU, UN agencies and international NGOs, as well as through Dutch private initiatives.

For example, the Dutch Regional SRHR (sexual and reproductive health and rights) Programme recently announced a new phase, increasing funding to €100 million, with significant allocations for Zimbabwe and Zambia in support of their ambition to end HIV/AIDS. This work will continue until 2030.

Dutch ambassador Matthijs van Eeuwen at the graduation ceremony of around 700 young people supported by Young Africa, an organisation of Dutch origin partly supported by the current Dutch Regional SRHR Programme.

Water and Trade

The WaterWorX programme also exists independently of the Embassy. Dutch water experts from VEI are working hand in hand with the water departments in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare, and that partnership will continue until 2030, building capacity and improving systems and infrastructure for better and more resilient water services for all.

The flagship Dutch-Zimbabwean private sector partnership will also continue until 2030: the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between ZimTrade and PUM, which brings about 50 Dutch experts a year to work closely with local companies on efficiency and problem solving.

I also expect private sector partnerships and trade to continue on a positive trajectory. Trade has doubled in the past four years to more than US$130 million, with Zimbabwe enjoying a substantial trade surplus. Demand in the Netherlands for top-quality Zimbabwean fresh produce is high, and exports of berries, peas, citrus and flowers are increasing steadily.

It is also encouraging to see Dutch seed varieties and technologies strengthening local production, with advanced Dutch systems being used by Zimbabwean poultry and egg producers, bakeries, dairies and farms, among many others.

What will happen to the Embassy-supported development projects? How will they be sustained?

We are committed to the full funding, completion and careful winding up of all our current contracts over a two-year period. We have always paid attention to the sustainability of the partnerships we invest in, taking care that there is enough capacity and ownership for the work to continue when grants end.

The impact has been significant and will keep bearing fruit. Together with Musasa Project, for example, we built safe shelters and one-stop centres for survivors of gender-based violence. These facilities will continue to stand and operate at various sites across Zimbabwe.

We have also invested substantially in training and knowledge exchange, and thousands of people continue to benefit from that expertise long after the funding ends. Many of our partners have provided training and resources that enable young people to take their next steps in life, build small businesses and give back to their communities. Many have succeeded and will keep growing, creating jobs and changing lives.

Climate-related work, such as the water-harvesting infrastructure developed across whole villages with PORET in Chimanimani, or the partnerships with BirdLife Zimbabwe, Community Water Alliance and others that have strengthened community involvement in water management, will have a positive effect long into the future.

There is a lot of good work to reflect on, with results that have changed lives and communities for the better, and I am proud of the approaches we have taken as an Embassy. I have seen lasting impact and continued progress in partnerships that were completed long before I arrived.

How will visa applications for travel to the Netherlands be processed?

Most of our consular services are already handled by VFS, a decision taken about two years ago because we are a modest embassy and demand was high. While we have yet to determine the full shape of things going forward, I expect visa applicants will notice little difference once we have closed. In time, we will also clarify how and where services for Dutch nationals, such as passport requests, will be provided.

How will the Netherlands maintain its bilateral ties with Zimbabwe after the embassy closes?

Beyond 2028, the Netherlands will remain a committed partner of Zimbabwe: our diplomatic relations will continue, in a different form. Which embassy in the region will represent the Netherlands in Zimbabwe will be decided in the coming period. 

Any final thoughts?

After 48 years of deep partnership in many different areas, I fully understand that this is sad news. The responsibility to oversee the winding down weighs heavily on me as the Dutch representative to Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.

I arrived in February this year, and even after several months of learning and networking, I keep finding new threads in the rich tapestry of shared history between our countries, far beyond the work of our governments or companies.

I meet alumni of Dutch universities who are doing fantastic work now that they are back home. I meet local artists who have performed or exhibited in the Netherlands and are still in touch with Dutch counterparts. I hear of joint charitable initiatives between Dutch and Zimbabwean citizens that are helping people in need. I have seen excellent win-win business partnerships, in which Dutch technology is used to export blueberries worldwide. I look forward to one day witnessing the friendly rivalry between our cricket teams. And I have met former Dutch football coaches who had enormous success in Zimbabwe and describe it as the best team experience of their lives. The list goes on.

Against a background of such diverse and close links, the closure is bittersweet indeed. I am truly amazed by this wonderful country, which I am still only starting to explore. But it's not goodbye yet. We still have some time, and we will make full use of every day.

Personally, I still aim to become a decent Shona speaker before I go - and to make a start on Ndebele as well - and to see more of Zimbabwe's landscapes and culture. Most importantly, I will stay focused on excellence in the Embassy's work and on a careful, professional winding down that secures a good position not only for our partners, but also for the phenomenal team of Zimbabweans and Dutch colleagues who underpin all the successes of the Netherlands Embassy in Zimbabwe.