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When the king and queen of the Netherlands visit the U.S. this June, they’ll be spending half of their four-day trip in Georgia.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are to visit Atlanta and Savannah before heading to New York, where they will make stops in the capital, Albany, and New York City.
“The working visit underlines the strong bilateral relationship between the Netherlands and the United States and the economic relations with Georgia and New York,” the royal house said in a statement.
It’s the latest regal delegation for Georgia, where Belgium’s Princess Astrid led some 300 companies in June 2022. That visit has helped solidify the state as a well-known stepping stone for Belgian firms breaking into the United States.
The Dutch royal couple will also pay visits to their country’s investors here, highlighting how Dutch technologies can be solutions for pressing global problems. The Netherlands is known for its expertise in water management, agriculture and urban design.
Nico Wijnberg, chief of protocol and international relations for the state of Georgia, has both personal and professional reasons to be excited about the visit, which officials have had to keep under wraps until Thursday’s announcement.
“It wonderful opportunity for economic relations and exciting for Georgia to be included in a working visit of this caliber, especially as it’s the second royal visit to Georgia in about as many years,” Mr. Wijnberg told Global Atlanta. “As a member of the Dutch expat community in Georgia, it is even more so meaningful to welcome His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima to the state that has been my home.”
In a way, the destinations serve as historic bookends for the Dutch relationship with the U.S., rooted from its earliest days in trade. Dutch settlers founded a colony that would later become known as New Amsterdam (even later, New York) on the island of Manhattan in the 1600s.
Georgia, meanwhile, is the most recent place where the Netherlands has opened a consulate in the United States, inaugurating the outpost in 2019 with the goal of fostering stronger economic links with the Southeast U.S.
According to a 2022 report from the Netherlands embassy Washington, 70 Dutch companies operate in Georgia, and more than 32,200 jobs are supported by bilateral trade with the Netherlands. The state is home to nearly 87,000 Americans of Dutch descent.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development counts more than 200 Dutch-owned facilities in the state. New Cold Logistics provides an example of how Dutch firms are making an impact: Its $333 million investment, opened last July, makes the cold chain warehouse firm the largest investor in the history of Henry County, with 170 jobs committed.
Located in Atlanta, the Netherlands-American Chamber of Commerce Southeast also sees the visit as a way to boost business ties, says chamber President Sebastian Van der Vegt.
“Their visit highlights Georgia’s growing importance as a dynamic economic hub with strong ties to the Netherlands, and we’re eager to showcase our region’s vibrant business landscape,” Mr. Van der Vegt told Global Atlanta. “The Royal Family’s visit also presents a unique opportunity to enhance bilateral relations and promote economic collaboration in key growth sectors of the economy, including transportation, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, fintech, and others.”
Based in the Netherlands, tech firm Xebia is one of many that have found a hospitable home in Atlanta, hosting a grand opening of a new headquarters in Buckhead in January.
“It is very encouraging to see that the royal couple is making this strategic economic hub a main part of their trip to the United States. Their visit underscores the strong and growing presence of companies from the Netherlands that are contributing to the area’s thriving business and tech community,” said Anand Sahay, Xebia’s global CEO. “This was a major driving factor for us to establish a new headquarters here as we scale up our presence throughout the Americas.”
Deputy Consul General Abdullahi Hashi shed more light on the royal couple’s schedule in an email to Global Atlanta:
“The program will focus on sustainable logistics, distribution, supply chain, sustainable port development and renewable energy. There will also be a strong focus on sustainable urban development and liveable cities. Global health and cooperation with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention will also be on the agenda. In addition, social justice and Atlanta’s role in the history of the civil rights movement will be highlighted during the working visit.”
Deputy Consul General Abdullahi Hashi
In the last five years, the Dutch consulate has brought in delegations focused on the above sectors and more, and key Dutch officials have paid frequent visits to the city.
Last month, during a trip partly designed to pave the way for the royal visit, Ambassador Birgitta Tazelaar met with Gov. Brian Kemp and headlined a business breakfast designed to help Black entrepreneurs find opportunities abroad.
In April, the High Museum of Art will open a new exhibition of paintings featuring the Dutch masters, a sign that continued cultural collaboration accompanies growing business links. The exhibition will be running during the royal visit.
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Learn more and contact the Dutch consulate in Atlanta, which represents the country in five Southern states: Consulate General in Atlanta – United States – NAY
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