Security important for developing countries’ economies
Companies will not invest in developing countries without the legal certainty provided by good laws and regulations which are also enforced. For this reason, security and the legal order are among the priorities of Dutch interventions in developing countries. This is what Minister for European Affairs and International Cooperation Ben Knapen wrote in a letter to the House of Representatives, in which he also spoke for Minister of Foreign Affairs Uri Rosenthal.
Security and legal order are essential conditions for sustainable development and self-reliance in countries lacking stability and security. In these countries, none of the Millennium Development Goals will be achieved.
The government also believes that working on security and the legal order is an intelligent investment. ‘We see that conflicts in developing countries affect us time and again through threats such as terrorism, piracy, trafficking in drugs, weapons and women, and illegal immigration. Again and again, we pay a huge price to fight these symptoms. Through conflict prevention we are making a cost-effective investment in removing the underlying causes of conflict,’ said Mr Knapen.
The complex problems in conflict situations call for an approach simultaneously addressing security, the legal order and socioeconomic development. Women play an important role. They should not be treated as victims, but should be encouraged to take part in political life, the economy and society.
The Netherlands receives broad international recognition for its commitment to the legal order and stability. What is more, the Netherlands is home to international courts and many academic and research institutions concerned with the development of the legal order. This gives it exceptional added value.
