South Africa and the Netherlands have been trading partners for centuries and in November 2015 the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, is planning an economic mission to strengthen trade relations. He will be joined by the Minister for Agriculture, Sharon Dijksma, and over 70 companies which makes this the largest trade mission to sub-Saharan Africa in Dutch history.

Accelerate Cape Town is supporting this engagement which includes the following in Cape Town:

• 18 Nov 2015 – Reception with Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the Garden of the Future
• 19 Nov 2015 – Guided tour of the Garden of the Future with Minister for Agriculture, Sharon Dijksma
• 19 Nov 2015 – Round tables, workshops and matchmaking.

The Garden of the Future is an interactive 4D showcase in Old Mutual’s atrium which will showcase the successful Dutch-South African partnerships in sectors such as water, energy, logistics, life sciences & health, horticulture, and agriculture & food. Our members are invited to both the reception with Prime Minister Mark Rutte, as well as workshops and matchmaking with key Dutch companies

The value of the trade relations is such that South Africa is the Netherlands’ most important market in sub-Saharan Africa. For South Africa, the Netherlands is our 8th biggest trading partner and 2nd largest market for our agricultural exports. More than 350 Dutch businesses, including multinationals and SMEs, operate in South Africa and together they have generated more than 100,000 jobs. Dutch companies investing in South Africa in the past 12 years have included Heineken who have invested significantly, as well as, Condor, Jongbloed, Eurocopter, Spar, Philips Electronics, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Royal HaskoningDHV.

In the Euro-zone, the Netherlands is the 6th largest economy and is noted for its stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, sizable trade surplus, and important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 2% of the labour force, but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. Leading multinationals with global operations and roots in the Netherlands include AkzoNobel, ASML, Philips, Shell and Unilever.

The following documents relate specifically to the the Netherlands Trade Mission for our members interested in engaging with the visiting delegation:

• The Netherlands Trade Mission Nov 2015 – Company Profiles
• The Netherlands Trade Mission Nov 2015 – Overview of Companies

Please visit the House of the Future website about this trade mission to South Africa.