Again, it is a clear message and nicely populist. And a slap in the face of an industry that is working in good conscience for a better world. The letter is based on a dangerous ideology based on contempt and superiority. The new policy is heartless and short-sighted. The fact that the Netherlands wants to decide how things are done indicates that this minister has no idea about the wave of emancipation in the African continent and how European countries are viewed.
Europe puts itself out of business
Many African countries want to benefit more from the (for us) indispensable resources present in their soil. China is now the big player, and Europe wants to compete with it, as is evident in the design of the EU’s Global Gateway programme. For that, surely you have to be a good and reliable interlocutor. If European countries put their own interests first and do not participate in these European goals, they show the rest of the world very clearly how divided the continent really is. The US and Russia are now making good use of this in the negotiations on the war in Ukraine, but also in a general and global sense. Europe is simply sidelined as irrelevant. This angers many countries in Europe. The only problem is that populist and extremist governments in the EU call this behaviour upon themselves. When you operate based on contempt and superiority, you should not be surprised when you are paid in equal coin. And Trump and Putin make no distinction between the Netherlands, Finland or Ireland in this regard.
Dutch indignation remains absent
I notice that in the Netherlands, the real outrage about what is going on, both in terms of cuts in development cooperation and the elephant-in-the-porcelain-closet performance of the US president, remains absent. Within the sector, everyone is concerned and angry, but on a large scale, there is a kind of resignation in the Netherlands. I find that hard to interpret.
Maybe we need to be even more directly attacked by Trump? Do we feel it’s not about us (yet)? I recently read a post on LinkedIn by a former military man from Denmark. Many Danes are angry because Trump thinks Denmark is not a good ally. The Danish president has been speaking out publicly against how Trump invokes Greenland for some time. But even ordinary Danes are now more than piqued. This military nurse served in Afghanistan alongside Americans. He described how he nursed dozens of US soldiers and assisted some to die if their wounds were too severe. Americans and Danes formed one front. And now, Denmark would not be a good ally because Trump does not get his way? That antagonises people.
March in Belgium brings tens of thousands of people to march
In Belgium, people took to the streets a fortnight ago to protest against their new government the day after it was formed. They spoke out in favour of international solidarity and against 25% cuts in development cooperation. Tens of thousands of people marched through Brussels to show their concern. This is not yet happening in the Netherlands. But by now, I can’t imagine that people are not fed up. That charade in The Hague, that amateurism, that failure to stand up for women and people in vulnerable situations, ministers in the same cabinet contradicting each other, a party leader publicly rubbishing his secretary of state, the party that is supposed to be for good governance allowing itself to be overtaken left and right by unseemly bills and letting itself be bullied by other coalition parties.
If this continues, the Netherlands will become the 52nd state of the United States yet. Just because Trump wants it, and we just argue and don’t pay attention. Or he will give the Netherlands to Putin in exchange for withdrawing from Ukraine, because, after all, we are a good ally. Too bizarre? Definitely true! However, the general closure of USAID was also bizarre and is happening anyway. We stand by and we watch it.
Time to speak out
Time to speak out extra loudly for international solidarity. And to send the signal that we in the Netherlands do care about global peace and security in our own interest, and are not a plaything on the international stage. Because one’s own interest is also safeguarding the interest of the other, then you are a worthy interlocutor. Then your interests will naturally be considered instead of being forced down others’ throats. After all, the latter is not sustainable in the long run and will one day work against the Netherlands.
To be continued soon with a call to action!