In one day full of UK-Dutch bilateral relations, both the
UK-Netherlands strategic dialogue and annual North Sea Neighbours
took place in London.
Yesterday, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands came together
at the North Sea Neighbours (NSN) Conference, held at the iconic
Science Museum in Kensington, London. This annual bilateral
conference, first established in 1999 by Dutch Prime Minister Wim
Kok and British Prime Minister as the Apeldoorn Conference,
continues to be a vital forum for strengthening cooperation and
dialogue between the two nations on topics of mutual interest.
This year's conference, themed “Securing Economic Growth
Together,” focused on identifying opportunities that will deliver
greater growth and prosperity through stable and secure economies
on both sides of the North Sea. The NSN participants shared views
and insights on productivity improvements and inclusive growth,
the energy transition, and the growth potential of critical
technologies. The day provided ample opportunities for networking
and discussion, with participants from government, academia,
civil society, and the private sector exchanging thoughts on how
to address shared challenges and seize growth opportunities.
On the same day, government-to-government dialogues took place
between UK Foreign Secretary and Netherlands Foreign
Minister Caspar Veldkamp during the annual Strategic Dialogue.
They discussed key foreign policy issues, including the war in
Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Both ministers
reaffirmed the commitment to work together to address common
challenges and to promote peace and security in Europe and
beyond. The meeting highlighted the commitment from both the UK
and the Netherlands to continue deepening and strengthening the
bilateral relationship between two North Sea Neighbours.
