Latest news with #DavidvanWeel
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine and Netherlands sign memorandum on protecting critical infrastructure
Ukraine and the Netherlands have signed a memorandum of understanding on the protection of critical infrastructure. Source: Dutch government portal, as reported by European Pravda Details: The document aims to strengthen structural cooperation between the two countries in protecting critical infrastructure. The parties agreed to share knowledge and expertise in threat detection, risk assessment and the development of resilience strategies. The Netherlands will also assist in aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU standards. The memorandum follows the security cooperation agreement signed by Ukraine and the Netherlands in March 2024. Quote from David van Weel, Dutch Minister of Justice and Security: "Critical infrastructure means power plants, water supply systems and other vital facilities. Ukraine has been living under the pressure of attacks for many years, and today it is an example of resilience from which we can learn a great deal." Details: He emphasised that the Netherlands has significant experience in this area, but also acknowledged that Ukrainian approaches, particularly the duplication and triple redundancy of critical systems, are unique and extremely effective. Background: On 8 May, it was reported that Romania and the Netherlands will establish a joint centre to train Ukrainian F-16 technicians. The following day, the countries participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) initiative, including the Netherlands, extended an invitation to Ukraine for an expanded partnership. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Arabian Business
06-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Doomsday prepping makes economic sense
When European governments start advising citizens to stockpile food, secure backup power, and locate the nearest bunker, it may sound like doomsday prepping that can be easy to dismiss as paranoia. It's not. It's strategic planning — and a signal that citizen-level resilience is becoming part of smart policy. The continent-wide push for emergency preparedness represents a rational economic response to demonstrated vulnerabilities — and other nations would be wise to take note. The European Commission recently urged every EU citizen to maintain a 72-hour emergency kit. Norway has told its population to prepare to manage on their own for a week. Germany has a large number of shelters and bunkers left over from World War II and the Cold War, but many of them are in need of repair or renovation. These are not isolated policies but components of a strategic push to acknowledge a fundamental truth that modern infrastructure is extraordinarily efficient yet catastrophically fragile. Five years after COVID-19 exposed how quickly global systems can unravel, Europe has made a calculated decision: investing in citizen resilience costs far less than managing cascading system failures. This deserves careful consideration in the Gulf, where hyper-connected smart infrastructure presents its own form of risk. What comes next? Are the Europeans paranoid, or simply paying attention? Madrid's power outage last month told us everything we needed to know about modern vulnerabilities. What began as a local power failure quickly cascaded into system malfunctions, telecom disruptions, and payment network outages. A modern capital city found itself partially rewound to the 19 th century – no electricity, limited water, and cash quickly becoming the only viable currency. This was a predictable consequence of our increasingly interconnected systems. According to the World Bank, COVID-19 triggered the largest global economic crisis in over a century. It widened inequalities, cut output and jobs, and caused global GDP to fall by 3.4 per cent in 2020 — a $2 trillion loss. For Europe, the pandemic cost around €2.3 trillion. Against that backdrop, even major investments in civil defense are fiscally sound. For Gulf nations, the stakes are different but equally high. When drinking water depends on energy-intensive desalination and air conditioning becomes a lifeline in summer, disruptions to critical infrastructure pose existential risks. A coordinated attack on critical infrastructure could be catastrophic. The critical 72 hours European nations have identified what emergency management experts call the 'vulnerability gap' – those critical first 72 hours between disaster onset and effective government response. The Dutch government recently updated its guidance, recommending households prepare for three days without assistance. Justice and Security Minister David van Weel made the rationale clear: in a crisis, government help may not come immediately. This shift doesn't absolve governments of responsibility. It acknowledges logistical reality by acknowledging the physical limitations of centralised response. If even the Netherlands — wealthy, compact, and efficient — says it can't guarantee rapid response, others should take note. Finland offers a powerful example. It maintains enough bunker space for its entire population and promotes citizen readiness through platforms like the website. Its model blends institutional readiness with citizen responsibility — a hybrid approach with proven effectiveness. By this summer, every French household will receive a 20-page 'survival manual' outlining how to handle everything from natural disasters to cyberattacks and war. The message is consistent: be ready to manage alone, at least at first. The cyber tipping point The vulnerability of critical infrastructure is no longer hypothetical. In 2023 alone, over 200 cyber incidents targeted the energy sector, with more than half specifically directed at European facilities. The 2021 Colonial Pipeline attack in the US caused fuel shortages across the southeast — a reminder that digital breaches can have immediate physical consequences. For Gulf states, where smart city initiatives are rapidly advancing, these risks are heightened. Projects like the UAE's smart infrastructure or Saudi Arabia's NEOM offer extraordinary potential — and new surfaces for cyber threats. The pandemic fundamentally changed how we think about these risks. Before COVID-19, preparedness was often seen as alarmist; now it's increasingly recognised as basic prudence. A global health crisis exposed how quickly supply chains could collapse, how rapidly hospital systems could be overwhelmed, and how dependent modern societies are on uninterrupted essential services. Beyond pandemic thinking But the next crisis may not look like COVID-19. It might stem from cyberattacks, infrastructure failures, or geopolitical conflict. European strategies now pair digital tools — like Germany's shelter-finding app — with physical investments, striking a balance between innovation and fallback. The European Commission's 'Preparedness Union' frames these efforts not as panic, but as risk management. For Gulf states — with strategic energy roles and global connectivity — the logic applies. Resilience isn't pessimism; it's planning for the inevitable. Across Europe, citizens are being advised to stock basic supplies, including: Non-perishable food (canned goods, energy bars, dried meals) Potable water (at least 6 litres per person) Essential medications and first aid kit Flashlights and extra batteries Battery-powered or hand-crank radio Cash in small denominations (when payment systems fail) Copies of important documents in waterproof containers The list extends further, but the principle remains consistent: be prepared to function when digital systems fail and centralised assistance is unavailable. The Gulf's advantage Gulf countries don't need to copy Europe. Their unique governance structures, geographic challenges, and strategic positions demand tailored solutions. But the focus on the 72-hour window offers a useful framework. The UAE has already established an enhanced Civil Defence Authority under the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), implementing updated regulations covering disaster response and emergency management. Saudi Arabia has updated its civil defence regulations to standardise emergency responses across sectors. These institutional approaches provide excellent foundations. Still, as European models show, institutional readiness must be matched by individual preparedness. The UAE's active role in last month's World Crisis & Emergency Management Summit — themed 'Together Towards Building Global Resilience' — reflects a willingness to evolve. Saudi Arabia's upcoming NCT Middle East 2025 conference in Riyadh, focused on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive risks, points to a growing strategic focus. Complementing this with citizen-level readiness would strengthen resilience further. The economic case The math is simple. Small investments in preparedness help avert massive losses. Finland's long-standing readiness once seemed excessive — now, it feels visionary. COVID-19 doubled global levels of severe food insecurity to 276 million people and triggered widespread stockpiling. Mental health took a hit too — depression and anxiety rose by 25 per cent globally in the first year alone, adding to the economic toll. As Gulf countries continue developing emergency frameworks, Europe's evolving playbook offers valuable insight. Preparedness is about recognising that resilience is always a smart investment.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netherlands passes law targeting digital and diaspora espionage
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch parliament on Tuesday approved a law criminalizing digital espionage and diaspora espionage, which refers to foreign powers attempting to influence communities in the Netherlands with ties to those countries. The new law expands on existing legislation, criminalizing actions such as leaking information or working for foreign governments that harm Dutch interests. Offenders can face up to eight years in prison, with a maximum of 12 years for severe cases, such as espionage leading to death. "Espionage is, unfortunately, a frequent reality. As a nation, we must strengthen our resilience against attacks and threats from abroad. This law enhances our ability to protect the Netherlands from emerging forms of espionage," Justice Minister David van Weel said. Last year, the Dutch intelligence service warned that Chinese cyber espionage was more extensive than initially thought and was targeting Western governments and defence companies. In 2022, the Dutch government ordered two Chinese offices in the Netherlands to close amidst a probe into their activities. China said they were centres to help Chinese citizens renew documents, but a Dutch media report alleged they were intimidating Chinese dissidents.
Euronews
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Dutch government recommends citizens get 72-hour emergency kits
Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said on Wednesday that citizens need to prepare to manage "without the central government" in case of a "real conflict." ADVERTISEMENT The Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel issued a recommendation on Wednesday for all citizens to compile 72-hour emergency kits in case of a natural disaster, cyber attack or war. It is an update to existing advice to have a kit at home which lasts at least 48 hours. Items that citizens are recommended to have include cash, canned food, water and batteries. This advice has existed for years, and a recent study by research firm Ipsos I&O shows that a quarter of the Dutch population owns an emergency kit. This is a significant increase from 2024, when just 15% of Dutch people had one. The numbers show that recent advice from the Dutch government, as well as the Red Cross, is taking effect. Just 17% of people surveyed in the study found that it wasn't necessary to own an emergency kit. They cited safety, electricity cuts and floods as main reasons to get one. But Van Weel is urging for increased awareness about its necessity, making a comparison to the mindset during the Cold War. "Back then we knew what to do the moment the air alarm would go off," he told local newspaper De Telegraaf, adding that civil defence was "dismantled" after the fall of the Berlin wall and with it "the entire civilian resilience." His comments come as EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss spending more on defence in light of increasing uncertainty about Europe's security surrounding developments in Ukraine. Van Weel said "the commitment to civilian resilience must now increase at the same rate across Europe." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a plan to loosen budget rules so countries that are willing can spend more on defence. Her proposal is underpinned by €150 billion worth of loans to buy priority military equipment. Most of the increased defence spending would have to come from national budgets at a time when many countries are already overburdened with debt. The Dutch minister also referenced Europe's vulnerability if it cannot count on the US for full support. The Trump administration this week announced a pause on all aid for Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing. "We are realising that the world is drastically changing," van Weel said on Dutch radio. He added that if there is a "real conflict," the national government could be primarily focused on the "deployment of armed forces and the defence of our country." In that case, the population would need to be able to "manage for a while without the national government, doing all it can." The Dutch government will publish detailed information on what it recommends people to keep at home in their emergency kits. At the same time, van Weel said preparations are being made to strengthen five sectors: food and water, electricity, healthcare, infrastructure as well as the government itself.
Reuters
06-03-2025
- Reuters
Netherlands discusses extradition request for cocaine kingpin Leijdekkers with Sierra Leone
AMSTERDAM, March 6 (Reuters) - Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said on Thursday that he spoke over the phone with his Sierra Leone counterpart Alpha Sesay about the Dutch extradition request for European cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers. "He is wanted internationally for serious crimes. And there are strong indications that he is currently in Sierra Leone", Van Weel added in a post on X. One of Europe's most wanted fugitives, Leijdekkers, has found refuge and high-level protection in Sierra Leone, Reuters reported earlier this year. Sierra Leone has previously said it is investigating the reports and would cooperate if there was an extradition request, even though the Netherlands does not have an extradition treaty with Sierra Leone.
