26-05-2025
Singapore, Netherlands' biggest growth opportunities lie in green and digital transitions, circular economy sectors: Grace Fu
[SINGAPORE] As Singapore and the Netherlands mark 60 years of bilateral relations, the future of their partnership could lie in areas such as green and digital transitions, climate and water management, circular economy and global supply chains.
Making this point was Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu at an event on Monday (May 26) evening.
Speaking at this year's Winsemius Awards, which coincided with the 35th year of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (DutchCham) in Singapore, she noted the growing ties between the two countries.
The Winsemius Awards, named after Dutch economist Dr Albert Winsemius, recognises excellence in areas such as innovation, sustainability and business achievement among Dutch and Singaporean companies operating in Singapore.
Today, the Netherlands is Singapore's second-largest European Union investor and its third-largest trading partner for goods, with nearly 2,000 Dutch companies operating in Singapore.
'Together, we have built globally connected ports, developed smart urban ecosystems, and advancing pioneering solutions in renewable energy and the circular economy,' said Fu.
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'Our partnership thrives because we share common values of openness, innovation and a commitment to sustainable growth.'
In her speech, she outlined four areas with strong potential for further collaboration.
The first is in transitioning to green energy and adopting technology to create smarter cities. 'Dutch innovations in areas like offshore wind and quantum computing pair naturally with Singapore's efforts to green our energy sources and build digital economies,' she said.
The second is climate adaptation and water management, priorities for Singapore as it develops long-term strategies for coastal protection and urban resilience, in which the Netherlands remains a global leader.
Fu also pointed to the circular economy as a promising space. Both countries are advancing sustainable urban living and there is growing scope for collaboration among businesses, researchers and policymakers to create solutions that make sustainability a reality today, she added.
Lastly, she noted the importance of supply chain resilience and building digital trade networks. As global supply chains face growing pressures from climate risks and geopolitics, she said that Singapore and the Netherlands as 'trusted, connected trading hubs' can collaborate.
Anneke Adema, ambassador of the Netherlands to Singapore and Brunei, described the investment relationship between Singapore and the Netherlands as a 'two-way street'.
She highlighted four key similarities between Singapore and the Netherlands that contribute to the successful relationship – both countries are outward-looking, driven by innovation, share a strong entrepreneurial spirit and have mutual trust.
Among the accolades presented at the awards ceremony organised by DutchCham was the Winsemius Red Orange Award, which highlights the longstanding partnership between the two nations. This was presented to sustainability consulting engineer Haskoning.
The Business Achievement Award recognises organisations for strong performance, sustained growth and meaningful innovation that has strengthened the Dutch business presence in Singapore. The award went to manufacturing company Walraven.
Fairmont Singapore and Swissotel Stamford clinched the Community Impact Award, which honours companies with notable contributions to local communities.
