Colombia–Netherlands relations

Colombia–Netherlands relations are the bilateral relations between Colombia and the Netherlands. Both nations have had a friendly relationship since the beginning of the 19th century.

Colombia–Netherlands relations

Colombia	Netherlands

History

Colombia and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1829. Unofficially, the relations were born when William I of the Netherlands sought a rapprochement with Simón Bolívar, linked to the Latin American wars of independence and the island of Curaçao.^[1]

On 10 February 2014, the Netherlands was accepted as an Observer State of the Pacific Alliance at the VIII Summit held in Cartagena. It is also an Associate Country of the Ibero-American Summit and plays a role in the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), which represents the Dutch territories in the Caribbean.^[2]

High-level visits

High-level visits from Colombia to the Netherlands^[2]

• Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucía Ramírez (2022)
• President Iván Duque Márquez (2022)
• Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Durán (2022)

High-level visits from the Netherlands to Colombia^[2]

• Prime Minister Mark Rutte (2018)
• Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Thijs van der Plas (2022)

Bilateral agreements

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as a Memorandum of Understanding for the authorization of spouses of diplomatic officials to exercise remunerated activity in the receiving state (2004); Air Services Agreement (2014); Air Transport Agreement with respect to Aruba (2018); Agreement to avoid double taxation (2022); Circular Economy Memorandum of Understanding (2022) and a Memorandum of Understanding Colombia-Dutch Partnership for Water (2022).^[2][3]

Economic relations

Colombia exported products worth 1,215,053 thousand dollars, the main products being petroleum, coal and agro-industrial products, while Colombia exported products worth 266,755 thousand dollars, the main products being chemical products, machinery and agro-industrial products.^[4]

In 2009, the Netherlands exported services to Colombia worth $155M, with Services not allocated ($155M) being the largest in connection with value. In 2022, the Netherlands exported $782M to Colombia. The products exported from the Netherlands to Colombia included Refined Petroleum ($99.2M), Packaged Medicaments ($67.9M), and Medical Instruments ($52.3M). Colombia exported $3.67B to the Netherlands. The products exported from Colombia exported to the Netherlands were Coal Briquettes ($2.75B), Refined Petroleum ($139M), and Ferroalloys ($129M).^[5]

In January 2024, Colombia strengthened its commercial ties with the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean. Colombian exports to this region reach a significant value of 1,738 million dollars.^[6]

Diplomatic missions

• Colombia has an embassy in The Hague, a consulates-general in Amsterdam, and consulates in Oranjestad (Aruba) and in Willemstad (Curaçao).^[7]
• Netherlands has an embassy in Bogotá.^[8]

• 
  Consulate of Colombia in Oranjestad

See also

• Foreign relations of Colombia
• Foreign relations of the Netherlands