Strengthening Dutch-Colombian water cooperation during the Colombia Platform Meeting

On 28 January 2025, water professionals from the Netherlands and Colombia gathered in The Hague for the Colombia Platform Meeting. The event was an opportunity for discussions on strengthening bilateral water cooperation and exploring future possibilities in sustainable water management.

Water Envoy Meike van Ginneken opened the meeting by reflecting on the key takeaways from the COP16 Biodiversity Conference, held in November 2024 in Cali, Colombia. She emphasised the importance of integrating biodiversity into Dutch-Colombian water management practices, highlighting the need for sustainable Nature-based Solutions.

This was followed with an engaging panel discussion featuring industry experts who shared their experiences and insights on managing Colombia’s water sector. Speakers included Jeroen Klooster (Arcadis), Eduardo Marín (Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners), Evelyn Aparicio Medrano, PhD (Future Water) and Betsy Romero (Deltares). They spoke about recent collaborations, lessons learned and emerging opportunities for Dutch expertise in Colombia.

Key insights from the panel discussion:

• Working with the government on policy and planning: Jeroen (Arcadis) stressed the importance of working with governments to establish effective governance structures. He highlighted how essential it is to involve local knowledge in project planning in order to look at water issues from a different perspective.
• Designing inclusive and integral projects: Eduardo (Felixx) focused on the need to reassess the costs of water management consequences and to design projects that align with long-term urban and delta development, with a particular focus on flood prevention.
• Supporting project implementation: Evelyn (Future Water) encouraged the group to cooperate with like-minded people and continue consulting with local stakeholders. She also emphasised that solutions should be based on the actual needs of the community to ensure effectiveness.
• Improving water management for agriculture and biodiversity: Betsy (Deltares) highlighted the importance of engaging local people, understanding their needs and working collaboratively to improve water management practices in agricultural systems that would enhance both biodiversity and water use efficiency.

A longstanding partnership for water security

Colombia is one of the seven delta countries within the Partners for Water programme 2022–2027. Through long-term partnerships, we aim to enhance water security and climate adaptation in Colombia’s delta cities and agricultural regions. Our collaboration with national and local governments, private sector stakeholders, NGOs and knowledge institutions focuses on:

• Implementing master plans: Supporting Colombia’s national government in areas such as coastal erosion, dredging and river transport through case studies and innovative solutions.
• Strengthening the water-biodiversity-food nexus: Facilitating sustainable water use in agriculture, with a focus on palm oil, coffee and banana production in the northern Magdalena region.
• Water as Leverage: Engaging in the Water as Leverage Cartagena Initiative, developing inclusive and innovative climate adaptation projects with Colombian, Dutch and international partners.

The Colombia Platform Meeting was another step towards strengthening Dutch-Colombian cooperation, highlighting opportunities to employ Dutch expertise in sustainable water management.

Are you involved in water projects in Colombia or looking to collaborate? Visit our Deltacountry page to explore partnership opportunities or reach out to Partners for Water’s Project Advisor for Colombia, Robert Proos.