MFA Press Statement: State Visit by President Halimah Yacob to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 20 to 24 November 2018

President Halimah Yacob will make a State Visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 20 to 24 November 2018 at the invitation of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander. This will be the first State Visit by a Singapore Head of State to the Netherlands. President Halimah will visit Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven.

In Amsterdam, President Halimah will receive a ceremonial welcome by their Majesties who will also host a State Banquet. In addition, President Halimah will visit Prodock, a hub to facilitate innovation in the port of Amsterdam. President Halimah will also meet with overseas Singaporeans.

In The Hague, President Halimah will meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who will host an official dinner as well as jointly meet President of the Senate Ankie Broekers-Knol and President of the House of Representatives Khadija Arib. En route to The Hague, President Halimah will visit a branch campus of the Wageningen University & Research, one of the top Dutch universities, for briefings on sustainable farming, innovative horticulture and food safety. President Halimah will also visit Deltares, an independent institute in Delft for applied research in the field of water and the subsurface.

In Rotterdam, President Halimah will be hosted to lunch by Mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb and attend a business forum with Dutch and Singapore companies. In Eindhoven, President Halimah will meet Dutch researchers from Brainport Eindhoven – the innovation centre of the Netherlands – and the Eindhoven University of Technology.

President Halimah will be accompanied by Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Trade and Industry, Dr Tan Wu Meng, Members of Parliament Mr Alex Yam, Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Cheryl Chan, as well as officials from the President’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and Economic Development Board. Two business delegations, led by the Singapore Business Federation and Enterprise Singapore, will visit the Netherlands in conjunction with the State Visit.

During President Halimah’s absence, Mr J Y Pillay, Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers will exercise the function of the Office of the President. 

.     .     .     .     .

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

19 NOVEMBER 2018