Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte is currently leading a delegation of over 75 Dutch companies to Johannesburg to attend the four-day House of the Future event, which brings together key thought leaders and industry stakeholders to generate solutions for shared challenges in the health, logistics, energy, agrifood and water sectors.

Organised by ‘#cocreateSA’ – a platform for South African and Dutch counterparts to exchange innovations for a sustainable future – and created by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa, the initiative would include a workshop on climate-smart agriculture, talks on electronically based sustainable port development, a brainstorming session on ecological air transport and an interactive session on three training apps for surgeons.

The event, which would take place from November 17 to 18, at the Turbine Hall, would also offer high-profile events on education and entrepreneurship and would host an international TEDx, as well as a “Get in the Ring” event – a global startup challenge.

During a ‘CocreateMyCity’ session, students from South Africa and the Netherlands would collaborate on challenges identified by the City
of Johannesburg.

The programme would culminate in a celebration of cultural events in the fields of film, music, art and dance.

“House of the Future provides a unique opportunity to rethink what our tomorrow should look like. Our ability to fundamentally challenge the status quo lies in our shared experiences, visions and ideas,” Netherlands Ambassador to South Africa Marisa Gerards said during a press preview of the event on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in Cape Town, ‘#cocreateSA’s’ Garden of the Future would showcase the first tangible fruits of the partnership between South Africa and the Netherlands in an interactive landscape on November 18 and 19.

South Africa remained the Netherlands’ primary trading partner in Africa, with imports from, and exports to, South Africa having reached €1.5-billion and €1.8-billion respectively in 2014.

“This makes the Netherlands South Africa’s third-largest trading partner in Europe and the eighth worldwide. In agricultural products, the Netherlands is the second-largest export destination of South African products,” she noted.

Foreign direct investment emerging from the small European country had also steadily been increasing, with the Netherlands now one of the largest foreign investors in South Africa.

Over 350 Dutch multinationals, as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises were active in South Africa, while several South African businesses had established offices in the Netherlands.

In addition to the growing, mutual business interest between the countries, there was also active cooperation between academic and scientific institutions, added Gerards.