Mr Ronald Strikker, the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, has affirmed his country’s commitment to helping developing countries like Ghana overcome the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said a concerted and well-coordinated programme under the auspices of global institutions like the World Bank would prove more effective in this objective.

A statement issued in Accra by the Institute of International Affairs Ghana (GhIIA.org) said the Ambassador indicated that policy discussions were underway in his country towards contributing to the global efforts aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic on the most vulnerable countries.

Mr Strikker made these remarks during a Fireside Chat series organised by the GhIIA.org to mark 60 years of the footprints of KLM in Ghana.

“Discussions are ongoing in policy spaces for a global effort to address the economic impact of this pandemic on developing countries. My country is committed to lending a hand in this effort,” he assured.

He described the Dutch Airline, KLM, as a remarkable torchbearer of the excellent Ghana-Netherlands diplomatic ties, saying the Dutch Embassy worked closely with KLM, as it is a global footmark of Dutch spirit, enterprise and friendship with the world.

He said, “No other event aptly captures the Dutch spirit than the resilience of this Airline in the face of the global pandemic. KLM is probably the only Airline still flying despite the challenges of the pandemic. We did not turn our backs on those who needed it most during this global crisis.”

The Dutch Ambassador said the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Dutch Embassy in Ghana was the most challenging occurrence in his Ghanaian experience, and it gave him a foretaste of the nature of the global challenge.

Mr Dick van Nieuwenhuyzen, Country Manager of KLM in Ghana, commended the exploits of KLM in Ghana particularly their response to the global pandemic.

He said the partnership between KLM and Air France increased the capacity of their operations to be able to continue to serve their clients during the crisis.

“There were students from other countries who were stranded in Ghana. There were several Ghanaians in France or UK who wanted to come home but were stranded by sudden closure of airspaces in the world, so the partnership allowed us to address this precarious situation and save many people from unimaginable inconvenience,” he added.

The forum, organized on the theme, “60 years of KLM in Ghana: Ghana and Netherlands growing together” was graced by members of the diplomatic corps, members of the business community and the public.

The GhIIA Fireside Chat Series is a platform that provides key players in Ghana’s International Affairs landscape an opportunity to share their experiences and reflections on their storied careers with the members of the GhIIA.