By Johnathan Paoli
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has praised the enduring spirit of cooperation between South Africa and the Netherlands and welcomed the strengthening of cross-national collaboration between the two countries.
Co-chairing the 4th biennial Joint Cooperation Commission (JCC) with his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, in the Hague, Lamola said the event as a major milestone in the expanding diplomatic and developmental partnership.
“Our collaboration transcends traditional diplomacy, embracing pragmatic solutions to global challenges. By aligning our expertise in these pivotal sectors, we reaffirm our commitment to a future marked by equity, innovation, and shared prosperity,” Lamola said.
The high-level dialogue, held under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) first signed in 2015, reaffirmed the countries’ shared commitment to sustainable development, peace, human rights, climate resilience and inclusive economic growth.
The meeting culminated in a detailed joint communique that highlighted tangible cooperation across a wide spectrum of sectors, from agriculture and green energy to cybersecurity and cultural heritage.
The ministers exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues, underlining their joint commitment to international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
They affirmed support for just and lasting peace in global conflict zones including Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They also reiterated support for South Africa’s presidency of the G20 and welcomed Dutch participation in all related meetings.
Agriculture emerged as a focal point, with both countries noting progress since the revitalisation of a bilateral Committee on Agriculture.
Notably, the Netherlands reaffirmed South Africa’s status as its key trade and investment partner on the continent.
Upcoming collaborations include a South African ministerial visit to the GreenTech Expo in Amsterdam and a joint G20 discussion paper on bio-economy.
The two countries celebrated the success of initiatives such as the Beyond Borders exhibition commemorating South Africa’s 30 years of democracy and a new oral history project on Dutch shipwrecks in South African waters.
Film, literature and historical research, particularly around slavery, remain priority areas, with additional Memoranda of Understanding in development between national archives and film agencies.
In line with global climate targets, the Netherlands committed €50 million to South Africa’s new SA Green Hydrogen Fund via its DRIVE programme.
It aims to accelerate green hydrogen development and infrastructure in alignment with South Africa’s energy transition strategy.
The two governments also pledged ongoing collaboration on renewable energy, vocational training in the energy sector, and resilience building in climate-vulnerable communities.
Bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity has matured, with over 3000 participants benefiting from expert-led training through the Southern Africa – Netherlands Cyber Security School.
Plans are underway for further cyber diplomacy training and a new Global Cyber Policy Dialogue.
The ministers also welcomed initiatives to empower women in cyber leadership roles and support gender-sensitive policy approaches.
Bilateral discussions addressed tariff concerns, the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership, and the importance of securing sustainable critical raw material value chains. A recent CSIR study mapped converging national interests in this strategic sector.
In the water sector, joint efforts under the Blue Deal South Africa programme aim to provide clean water to 2.5 million people by 2030.
Initiatives such as the Elundini Water Project and advanced digital tools like HydroNET reflect high-impact collaboration in this domain.
Meanwhile, cooperation on migration includes operational agreements to address irregular migration and identity fraud.
Both sides are finalising a technical cooperation MoU on migration, with further agreements underway in the field of social development and social security.
Scientific collaboration remains a cornerstone of the partnership.
The countries are jointly engaged in the Square Kilometre Array project and are finalising a new international research programme on the Dutch role in the slave trade.
The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is also supporting South African research capacity through targeted partnerships and knowledge exchange platforms.
Lamola hailed the JCC as a vehicle for pragmatic, forward-looking diplomacy and agreed with Veldkamp that the Fifth JCC would be hosted by South Africa before the end of 2027.
The Netherlands continues to be one of South Africa’s top five EU trade partners, with direct investments exceeding R364 billion.
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