Belarusian children from the still highly radioactive Chernobyl area will be able to travel to the Netherlands without restriction, now that Belarus has removed the last remaining obstacles.
Speaking at the close of the London Conference on Afghanistan, ministers Maxime Verhagen and Bert Koenders declared that ‘an important step forward’ had been taken towards the transfer of responsibility for security and development to the Afghan authorities.
Foreign affairs minister Maxime Verhagen and development cooperation minister Bert Koenders will take part in the international conference on Afghanistan to be held in London on 28 January 2010.
At a meeting in the Peace Palace hosted by Radio Netherlands Worldwide, development minister Bert Koenders talked about the success of microfinancing in combating poverty, but warned that vigilance was called for.
European affairs minister Frans Timmermans set off yesterday on a two-day visit to Turkey. His main subjects for discussion will be Turkey's EU accession negotiations and cultural cooperation between Turkey and the Netherlands.
Economic growth is a precondition for poverty reduction in developing countries, according to development minister Bert Koenders in his policy memorandum ‘Economic growth and equity’, which he presented to Parliament today.
Development minister Bert Koenders has decided that the €1 million pledged to the United Nations will be used to enhance that organisation’s logistical capacity.
Ninety-two adopted Haitian children arrived at Eindhoven military airbase where they were handed over to their new parents. The group left Port-au-Prince on Wednesday night in an aircraft chartered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rapid Deployment Consular Support Team (SCOT) returned on Sunday from Haiti to the Netherlands. The three team members had arrived at the scene of the earthquake within 48 hours.
The European Commission has designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. It will be launched on Thursday 21 January in Madrid by the Spanish EU Presidency.
15 Jan 2009 | Culture minister Ronald Plasterk and European affairs minister Frans Timmermans are determined to put Dutch art and culture on the map. In their letter to the House of Representatives entitled ‘Art without Borders’, they describe art and culture policy up to 2012.