Perkuat Hubungan Bilateral, Gubernur Maluku Terima Kunjungan Duta Besar Belanda untuk Indonesia

Ambon — The Governor of Maluku received a visit from the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Marc Gerritsen, and his team in the Maluku Governor's Meeting Room. The visit aimed to discuss various opportunities for strategic cooperation between the Dutch Government and the Maluku Provincial Government, particularly in the fields of education, infrastructure, and export commodity development. Tuesday (April 7, 2026). In an interview, the Governor of Maluku expressed his respect and appreciation for the visit, which he considered crucial in strengthening relations between the two countries. "Today, I feel honored as Governor of Maluku. We are receiving a visit from the Dutch Ambassador and his team to discuss the mutual interests of both countries. I appreciate the Dutch Government's attention and support for Indonesia, especially Maluku," said the Governor. The Governor explained that the relationship between the Netherlands and Maluku has a long history, and that tens of thousands of Maluku people live in the Netherlands and make significant contributions in the fields of arts, culture, and sports. Furthermore, the Governor revealed that the Dutch Government is open to collaboration opportunities with several universities in Maluku, including Pattimura University and the Abdoel Mutalib Sangadji State Islamic University (UIN). The Dutch Ambassador is scheduled to visit UIN on Wednesday (April 8, 2026) to meet with university leaders and discuss potential collaboration in education and improving the quality of human resources. In addition to education, discussions also covered infrastructure cooperation and opportunities to export Maluku's leading commodities to the Dutch market. "We also discussed export opportunities, particularly for quality commodities from Maluku, to enter the Dutch market. This is important for regional economic growth," explained the Governor. The Governor also expressed his appreciation for the Dutch Government's support for developing Maluku's human resources, including through the LPDP scholarship program for local students who wish to continue their studies at home or abroad. On the same occasion, the Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Marc Gerritsen, expressed his positive impressions of his first visit to Maluku. "This is my first visit to Maluku, and I am very pleased to be here. We have centuries-old ties and a very strong Maluku community in the Netherlands," said Ambassador Gerritsen. He assessed the potential for cooperation between Maluku and the Netherlands as significant, particularly in education, sports, culture, and high-quality export commodities such as spices and minerals. Ambassador Gerritsen emphasized that his administration would follow up on this discussion with the central government in Jakarta. The Maluku Provincial Government hopes this visit will be the beginning of strengthening more concrete cooperation that will benefit the Maluku people in various sectors.