WILLEMSTAD - Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath the new ambassador of the Dutch Kingdom in Washington DC at Fort Amsterdam last week. André Haspels has been appointed to the post in Washington. The new Consul-General is Mrs. Ruth Emmerink who was also present during the meeting.

André Haspels (Uithoorn, January 23, 1962) grew up in Uithoorn in the province of Noord-Holland. His father was a flower trader who imported flowers from all over the world, including ferns from Florida. Since he was a young boy, Haspels has always seen flowers, and that’s how he learned about agriculture and trade.

Haspels studied politics at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam. In 1987, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he served in many capacities. In 1997, he became head of the Political Department at the embassy in South Africa (Pretoria), where he was involved in the cooperation between the two nations, among others in the setup of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He later served as ambassador in Vietnam and South Africa and most recently as director-general of political affairs in the Hague.