By Tugba Altun
The Embassy of the Netherlands in the Turkish capital Ankara celebrated the Dutch national holiday King's Day with a reception Thursday.
The event, held at the residence of Dutch Ambassador to Türkiye Joep Wijnands, was attended by distinguished guests including Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas, alongside numerous high-ranking officials and invitees.
Ambassador Wijnands, addressing the gathering, expressed his and his wife Carmen Wijnands' deep sense of comfort and belonging in Ankara since their arrival.
Wijnands highlighted the significant milestone of the 100th anniversary of the friendship treaty between Türkiye and the Netherlands this year.
He also emphasized the strong partnership between the two countries across various sectors, noting the longstanding commercial relations and the presence of over 3,000 Dutch companies actively operating in Türkiye.
He also highlighted recent political cooperation, recalling Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's visit to The Hague last week.
Wijnands said that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday.
“These contexts are crucial, especially considering the important role of Türkiye in dealing with ongoing geopolitical challenges and the great importance of our cooperation as NATO allies.”
In closing, Ambassador Wijnands extended his congratulations on the enduring friendship between the two countries, concluding his remarks with the Turkish phrase "Bu güzel dostluğumuz sonsuza kadar sürsün" (May this beautiful friendship of ours last forever).
-Rich history dating back to 16th century
Also speaking at the event Simsek noted that Ankara expects more Dutch entrepreneurs and businesspeople to be part of and stakeholders in Türkiye's successful long-term goals.
"We are providing incentives to attract more investors,” he said.
Pointing out the many commonalities in history between the two countries, the Turkish minister highlighted the rich history shared dating back to the 16th century.
"There are 3,000 (Dutch companies) in Türkiye. The Netherlands is the number one country in terms of international direct investments in Türkiye," he said.
He stated their desire to strengthen the partnership between Türkiye and the Netherlands, deepen ties and enhance trade and investment potential.
“Another area where we hope our Dutch friends will play a significant, constructive and leading role is in relations between Türkiye and the EU. We rely on the Netherlands to overcome some political challenges. Developing the Customs Union will be mutually beneficial. We hope that our Dutch friends will play a strong role in this regard," he added.
*Writing by Seda Sevencan