UN General Assembly
2017

Our most important area of expertise is water management. Much of the Netherlands lies below sea level, so we have centuries of experience in water technology, urban delta management and maritime technology, expertise that we are keen to share with the rest of the world. Working together on water issues is more crucial than ever before. Nearly five years have elapsed since thousands of people here in New York had to flee their homes when the streets flooded in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The destruction caused by Harvey in Texas and the floods in Asia show that water issues have only become more urgent in the last five years. The impact of climate change on the water cycle is brought home to us every day, all over the world, sometimes violently. The people of Sint Maarten, in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, are struggling to cope with the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma.