News item | 03-04-2023 | 15:49
Minister Liesje Schreinemacher for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation has appointed former diplomat Ron van Dartel as Special Envoy for Business and Reconstruction Ukraine. He started his new position last week.
In the letter to parliament ‘First BZ and BHOS support package Ukraine 2023’, the cabinet announces the appointment of Van Dartel as Special Envoy for Business and Reconstruction. Van Dartel previously served as ambassador to Serbia, Poland and Russia, among others, and to the OSCE, and has extensive knowledge of and experience with the region.
Deployment of the Dutch business community
In his new position, Van Dartel will focus on promoting the involvement of the Dutch business community in the reconstruction in Ukraine. During the first months he will mainly establish contact with the Ukrainian authorities, the Dutch business community and international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, to determine how the knowledge and skills of the Dutch business community can be linked to the needs and priorities of Ukraine.
At a joint meeting of the public-private platforms and employers’ association VNO/NCW last Friday, the envoy spoke for the first time with representatives from the business community.
Platforms Agriculture, Water and Health
Van Dartel will work closely with the three platforms that were set up by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency at the beginning of the year on behalf of Minister Liesje Schreinemacher. The platforms – Agriculture, Water and Health – aim to bring together different parties from these sectors. In this way, the business community, civil society organizations and the government can develop joint initiatives to optimally deploy Dutch knowledge and skills for the gigantic challenge posed by the reconstruction in Ukraine.