Friday, 12 June 2009, 09:03 HKT/SGT

SINGAPORE, June 12, 2009 - (ACN Newswire) - The history of the Netherlands, where two-thirds of the 16 million population lives below sea level, has been shaped by its struggle to keep dry. The country is renowned for its hardwon expertise in water management and flood defenses.

Recently, policy makers adopted a philosophy they termed as "living with water" which means working with nature whenever possible. Dutch experts have developed new techniques to support this initiative. These include pumping sand into strategic offshore locations where currents in the North Sea sweep them into place, bulking up dunes; re-establishing minor waterways and removing pavements to allow the country to absorb sudden influxes of water; and designating zones for intentional flooding in an emergency.

Last year, the Netherlands announced more than Euro 100 billion (US$140 billion) in new spending through the year 2100 to prepare for the effects of global warming.

The Netherlands has made the most out of the available space in densely populated deltas with soft soils and at the same time provided protection against the dangers of the water. As a result of that experience, Dutch expertise is very much in demand, both at home and far beyond their own borders.

"There is increasing global demand for knowledge and technology in the area of water and the subsurface in relation to delta issues. The Netherlands is well sought after for its innovative solutions to make living and working in deltas, coastal areas and river basins safe, clean and sustainable, said Ms Linnie Mackenzie, Area Director of the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA).

From June 23-25, the NFIA and its regional partner from West Holland host a booth to promote the Netherlands as the Water Gateway to Europe. Both groups will be on hand to share information on the country's impressive network of water clusters and its advantage as a vibrant hub for trade and Research and Development activities.

The Dutch group will also participate in Europe Business Forum on Thursday, June 25, 3.30 pm5.30 pm which will address opportunities for water and environment-related business in Europe, regulatory and safety aspects and technological breakthroughs in the water sector.

Local water company, Hyflux which has a R & D facility in the Netherlands will speak at the forum on the commercialization and technological aspects of providing water solutions to meet global needs.

The 2009 LKY Water Prize Winner, Professor Gatze Lettinga is the Guest of Honor.

To register, email Ms Adeline Tan at tan@nfia-singapore.com or visit the:
NFIA Booth No. S29 (European Pavilion)
SIWW 2009
June 23-25, 2009
Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Center

About the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA)

The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), a division of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs is fully committed to expediting foreign direct investment in the Netherlands. For foreign companies planning to establish, expand or re-organize their pan-European operations in the Netherlands, the NFIA provides a wide range of services in areas such as economics, operational costs, fiscal and legal matters, and business locations, as well as key information on national, local and regional development companies. As a government agency, the NFIA provides its services free of charge and on a strictly confidential basis.

The NFIA also offers a service called the Technology Matchmaking Service (TMS) to assist with knowledge intensive activities of foreign companies and their quest to locate a suitable technological partner through its range of technology, environment, energy, exports and international partnership network.

For more information water and water technology or investment opportunities in the Netherlands, contact:

Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA)
Ms Linnie Mackenzie
Area Director
Tel: +65 6739 1135
Email: mackenzie@nfia-singapore.com

Ms Adeline Tan
Project Manager
Tel: +65 6739 1137
Email: tan@nfia-singapore.com

For media attendance and interview opportunities, please contact:

Irene Gomez
Corporate Media Services
Mobile: +65 9667 6601 / email: irene@corpmediapl.com
or
Angela Sim, Tel: 6327 8825 / email marcom@corpmediapl.com
Sophia Nasim: Tel: 9817 8686 / email: sophia@corpmediapl.com

Topic: Trade Show or Conference Sectors: Water, Environment, ESG
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