Ambassador Henk Jan Bakker on the Netherlands’ ties with Kenya and the state visit

Blog post | 18-03-2025 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Enlarge image Enlarge image Nederlandse ambassadeur in Kenia, Henk Jan Bakker

What did you notice first about Kenya and how people live there?

‘Kenya is an interesting country. Like Dutch people, Kenyans tend to speak their minds. It’s easy for us to cooperate. Nairobi has a pleasant climate: because it’s at a relatively high altitude, it never gets too hot or too cold. Kenya is a fantastic place to travel around. And it’s a country that’s very important to the Netherlands and our diplomatic service. We’ve got a large embassy here, where a lot of things are happening.’

How would you describe relations between the Netherlands and Kenya?

‘Last year we celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations. The nature of our relationship has changed over time, shifting from development cooperation in the earlier decades towards a greater focus on trade and investment today. We do work on development aid programmes, but economic relations have become increasingly important. Kenya may have its own challenges to address, but it’s a major partner for the Netherlands.’

What are some of these challenges, and how is the embassy involved?

‘Some Kenyans are critical of the upcoming Dutch state visit, and that criticism is not unwarranted. There are two things you can do when a country is going through a difficult period: you can turn around and walk away or you can engage in conversation and try to do something, and use your influence. The embassy plays a role by remaining in dialogue with all parties involved, which means both the government and the groups that are critical of the government. The state visit isn’t a one-off gesture. I hope it will help strengthen relations between the Netherlands and Kenya.

‘I also think it’s important to remain in dialogue with young people. The embassy has a Youth Advisory Council, which is a group of young people who advise us but also offer frank criticism. They share their knowledge of topics like water management and economic activities. I take their advice very seriously, and we try to integrate it into the programmes the embassy works on.’

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What are the embassy’s tasks, and what’s your most important task as ambassador?

‘Ours is the biggest Dutch embassy in Africa. We do a lot of work on development aid and politics. Kenya is also a major agricultural and horticultural trading partner for the Netherlands, so we have a big agriculture section. The embassy team that was evacuated from Sudan also works from Nairobi. And besides Kenya, we’re also responsible for Somalia, Eritrea, Seychelles and a small UN team.

‘I represent the embassy at events and in projects. For instance, I recently attended the signing of an agreement between the Princess Máxima Center for paediatric oncology and the National Cancer Institute of Kenya, and I spoke at a seminar organised by a Somalian organisation called the Life & Peace Institute.’

What projects is the embassy working on?

‘We work on a lot of projects in the water sector. Like many countries, this region faces three problems related to water: there’s either too little, too much, or the water that’s available is polluted and can’t easily be purified for drinking. It can be very dry here, but when it rains a lot of water falls in a short space of time. This causes flooding and means water needs to be redirected. It’s a situation that presents opportunities for Dutch businesses that have expertise in that area.

‘For example in Nakuru, a city in eastern Kenya, we’re working on an integrated programme called a ‘sponge city’. The aim is to harvest rainwater for later use. We’re actively developing the concept in this city in the hope it will serve as an example for other cities in Kenya and further afield.

‘We also do a lot of work around food security. In recent years we’ve shifted our focus towards the drier regions in the north. To cope with drought, it’s more important than ever to adapt as the climate changes. You need to figure out which crops can thrive with less water – like potatoes, for example.’

Enlarge image Enlarge image Ambassadeur Henk Jan Bakker en atleet Eliud Kipchoge

What’s something that the embassy has achieved that you’re proud of?

‘I visited the city of Eldoret recently and met a group of East African athletes. You’d be unlikely to encounter a bigger group of world record holders, Olympic gold medallists and other sports champions all in the same place at the same time. They come to this region to train together at high altitude. There’s a Dutch connection here: the training centre I visited was set up by the Dutch sports manager Jos Hermens.

‘We arrange Orange Carpet services for businesses but also for athletes, which ensures that they always get their visas in time to attend meets in the Netherlands and other European countries. My team and I spoke with Eliud Kipchoge, who trains there. He told us how important this is for him and the other athletes. It enables them to focus on training for events without having to worry about other things. I was really pleased to hear this – it’s a confirmation that our consular section is doing important work.’