Program​​​​​me​​​​​​​​​​​​

For English, see below

Hieronder vind je het volledige programma van de BZ-Strategiedagen 2026.

De tijden in het programma zijn in de Nederlandse tijdzone (CET).

Below, you will find the complete programme for the BZ Strategy Days 2026.

Please note that the times in the programme are in the Dutch time zone (CET).

Programma / Programme

Openingssessie - Catching the Wave: In gesprek met Minister Van Weel

Tijd: 12:00 - 12:45

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: BZ-medewerkers

Format: hybride - online of op locatie (Zwarte Trappen, Rijnstraat 8)

M zal de strategiedagen aftrappen met deze openingssesssie bij de Zwarte Trappen. Hij zal zijn perspectief geven op de dreigende ontwikkelingen die op ons afkomen en de kansen die zich voordoen. Wat verwacht de minister voor 2026? Hoe kan Nederland omgaan met grote veranderingen - met het spel tussen de grootmachten en de trends op het gebied van veiligheid en technologie? Hoe kunnen we internationale samenwerking verbeteren? Welke rol spelen onze posten en diplomaten? De minister gaat in gesprek met ESA en de aanwezigen in de zaal en online.

The UN and the New Global Order: A Dialogue with Rebeca Grynspan

Time: 16:00 - 17:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from all Dutch central government organisations

Format: online

The increasing geopolitical competition is putting pressure on the United Nations. On the one hand, geopolitics is sidelining the rules-based order; on the other, the future of multilateralism is placing the UN at the core and centre. UNCTAD plays a central role in linking global trade to global sustainability, but countries like The Netherlands are struggling to use this global platform to further a common global agenda. If we could seize this moment and UNCTAD, how would we reshape the UN to answer to the current and emerging rebalancing of the global order? It is time for a frank and bold conversation with Rebeca Grynspan (Secretary-General of the UN Trade and Development) on where we can be in 10-15 years time.

Peace Forward: Africa’s Security Architecture and Global Partnerships

with Paul Simon Handy and Annette Weber

Time: 13:00 - 14:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from all Dutch central government organisations

Format: online

In this session we will engage in a conversation with Paul Simon Handy, Regional Director East Africa and Representative to the African Union for the Institute for Security Studies, based in Addis Ababa, and Annette Weber, EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, based in Brussels, on the future of the peace and security architecture in Africa. We will explore the visions and ambitions of African partners, the involvement of non-African parties and, in particular, the role of the European Union. More information to follow suit.

Stability as Security: Diplomacy–Defence–Development in a Multidomain World

with General Onno Eichelsheim

Time: 10:00 - 11:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from all Dutch central government organisations

Format: online

As global instability intensifies, from geopolitical competition to climate pressures and digital disruption, the Netherlands must increasingly “catch the wave” of emerging risks rather than be overtaken by them. This session explores how diplomacy, defence and development can reinforce each other in addressing instability in Europe’s neighbourhood, drawing lessons from West Africa.

Building on recent IOB findings and Defence’s multidomain perspective, the discussion asks what integrated action means today: where it still works, where political space has narrowed, and how sharper strategic choices can increase impact. Speakers will explore how national security interests, humanitarian principles and international solidarity can be aligned in practice.

With contributions from the Netherlands Chief of Defence, SIPRI and regional experts, this high-level dialogue aims to clarify the roles of MFA, Defence and other partners; identify realistic entry points for cooperation; and reflect on how investing in stability and development abroad directly strengthens safety and resilience at home.

The Shifting Political Map of Europe: A Conversation with Ivan Krastev

Time: 13:00 - 14:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

Format: online

As our strategy days revolve around the theme ‘Catching the Wave’, and with the Netherlands preparing to hold the EU presidency in 2029, this session will reflect on the EU’s future. What might the Union look like by 2029, following the French presidential elections in 2027, the next Bundestag elections, and the European elections in 2029? What role for the evolving political developments in the United States? How can we interpret current public sentiments and use these insights to engage with and anticipate a potential new geopolitical identity - or perhaps multiple identities - within Europe?

Together with Ivan Krastev, we will explore what these developments could mean for our ministry, the next Dutch government, and Europe as a whole.

In gesprek met Sigrid Kaag: Politieke diplomatie en onderhandelen in een fragmenterende wereldorde

Tijd: 13:00 - 14:00

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: BZ-medewerkers en genodigden

Format: online

Geopolitieke machtsstrijd, conflicten, handelsspanningen en andere crises vullen de nieuwsberichten en bedreigen een wereldorde gebaseerd op internationale regels en universele mensenrechten. Hoe moeten we naar deze wereld kijken en daar als Nederland in navigeren?

Sigrid Kaag zal in deze sessie haar visie geven op het veranderende internationale systeem, de schuivende machtsverhoudingen, de internationale rechtsorde en hoe Nederland zich daarin zou moeten positioneren. Wat geeft zij het nieuwe kabinet mee?

Kaag is onder meer vml. minister van Financiën en vml. minister voor Buitenlandse Handel en Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, en was onder-secretaris generaal van de Verenigde Naties (Beirut, Damascus en Jeruzalem). Zij heeft brede ervaring op het internationaal toneel, waaronder ook in het Midden-Oosten.

Serious Game: In de huid van de middenmachten van de 21e eeuw

met Instituut Clingendael

Tijd: 09:00 - 12:00 en 13:00 - 16:00

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: medewerkers van de Rijksoverheid

Format: workshop op locatie (Rijnstraat 8)

Het is 2040, en de wereld is er niet stabieler op geworden. De middenmachten van de 21e eeuw manifesteren zich op het wereldtoneel en navigeren door onrustige tijden. Welke strategische allianties sluiten zij? Welke keuzes maken zij? En hoe handelt de EU als middenmacht?

In deze serious game stappen we in een scenario over 2040 en gaan dat scenario beleven. We kruipen in de huid van middenmachten om te ervaren hoe zij belangen afwegen en keuzes maken. Hierdoor beleef je een toekomstig scenario vanuit het perspectief van onze partners, of vijanden, en krijg je dieper inzicht in hun handelen.

De serious game is ontwikkeld door Instituut Clingendael, en gebaseerd op het Clingendael Geostrategisch Perspectief (januari 2026), een foresight-studie die jaarlijks in opdracht van de ministeries van Buitenlandse Zaken en Defensie wordt verricht.

Let op: deze sessie op locatie vraagt actieve participatie van de deelnemers. Er is een beperkt aantal plekken beschikbaar.

Shifting Paradigms: The Rise of Post-Globalisation Thinking in America

with Oren Cass

Time: 16:00 - 17:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

Format: online

Oren Cass is founder of American Compass, one of the leading conservative think tanks in the United States. Vice-President J.D. Vance referred to his book The Once and Future Worker: a Vision for the Renewal of Work in America as “one of the most important books he has ever read”. In November, Cass outlined his vision for American foreign policy in an article in Foreign Affairs called A Grand Strategy of Reciprocity: How to Build an Economic and Security Order that Works for America. In this session we will discuss major societal and economic transformations that are reshaping the American political landscape and influencing domestic and foreign policy decisions. These shifts, driven by changing (conservative) attitudes toward globalisation and America’s economic model, have far-reaching implications. Not only for the U.S. but also for how it engages with the rest of the world.

Paths to Peace or Prolonged Conflict: The Future of Russia’s War against Ukraine and Implications for Europe

with Bob Deen and Olga Oliker

Time: 16:00 - 17:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

Format: online

Europe is now well-aware that it has to ‘catch the wave’ of getting its security right in the wake of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its hybrid warfare in the rest of Europe. This session will focus on the future of this war and its implications for European security.

Is there a realistic path towards peace, or is a prolonged war the most likely scenario (with only differences in intensity)? And in this respect, how should Europe further position itself towards the U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal?

What are the implications of both scenarios on broader European security? How can NATO Allies prevent a prolonged deterioration of European security in the wake of a negotiated settlement? What can we learn from Ukrainians to improve our own security?

Through African Eyes: Challenges and Opportunities for an Aid System under Strain

with Zainab Usman, Geert Laporte and Steven Collet

Time: 13:15 - 14:15

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and invitees

Format: online

The session will dare to openly question the legitimacy and relevance of the aid system. This goes hand in hand with considering a different way of dealing with the economic rise of the Global South and investigating what rationale can still be found for the Global North to be willing to further pursue cross-border efforts. The session will more precisely dig into the views of developing countries and their expectations of the highly debated reset of the existing aid system.

Zainab Usman and Geert Laporte will exchange ideas on the direction this reset should take. Steven Collet, deputy director-general for International Cooperation, will challenge both thinkers to be as concrete as possible about the task ahead for traditional donors and how to prepare for the future.

The Politics of Prosperity: In Conversation with Daron Acemoglu

Time: 15:00 - 16:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

Format: online

Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Prize-winning economist and co-author of Why Nations Fail, will reflect on how power, institutions and technological change are reshaping economies and societies worldwide. After his presentation, we will explore what drives long-term prosperity or stagnation and how governance and inequality interact. What does this mean in a period of geopolitical and technological disruption? And what can Europe and the Netherlands do to anticipate and act on the challenges we are facing?

Hoe Europees en Nederlands geo-economisch beleid vorm te geven in een fragmenterende wereldorde

Tijd: 10:00 - 11:00

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: BZ-medewerkers

Format: workshop op locatie (Rijnstraat 8)

De wereld verandert en een gefragmenteerde wereldorde lijkt realiteit te worden. Trump is aan de macht in de VS en stelt handelstarieven in. China zet zijn kritieke positie in strategische waardeketens in. De recente exportcontrole-maatregelen op kritieke aardmetalen en de Nexperia-casus laten de complexiteit, verwevenheid en het belang van mondiale waardeketens zien. Nederland en de EU moeten zich hiertoe verhouden en rekening houden met een meer transactionele wereld waarin grootmachten niet schromen voor bewapening van economische afhankelijkheden.

In zijn rapport Nederland in een fragmenterende wereldorde van juli 2024 beargumenteert de WRR dat de geopolitieke verschuivingen ook voor Nederland ingrijpende consequenties heeft. Reflecterend op de Nederlandse aanpak waarin een focus op weerbaarheid en welvaart centraal staat; hoe verloopt deze aanpak? Maken we de juiste keuzes? In hoeverre moeten Nederland en de EU meegaan in meer transactioneel handelen binnen deze nieuwe geopolitieke realiteit? Kan er ook ruimte gevonden worden om een eigen geo-economische koers te varen in de veranderende wereldorde? Zo ja, hoe zou die er dan uit moeten zien?

Cultural Policy as a Soft Power in a Shifting World – Opportunities for Europe and the Netherlands

with Edward Knudsen

Time: 16:00 - 17:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from all Dutch central government organisations

Format: online

As global politics shift toward hard-power rivalries and increasingly unilateral strategies, cultural policy is emerging as a crucial form of soft power. The United States’ retreat from international cooperation has left a growing vacuum in global soft power and authoritarian states are rapidly developing their own cultural narratives and influence strategies. All while democracies face the challenge of articulating credible, compelling alternatives.

In this session, Oxford University’s Edward Knudsen explores how cultural policy can serve as a strategic soft-power tool. Rather than focusing on filling a “vacuum” left by the United States, Knudsen argues that Europe should develop and project its own narratives. He highlights examples from other countries and stresses the importance of an EU-level approach, where shared cultural initiatives can reinforce Europe’s global credibility.

By investing in cultural cooperation, European countries like the Netherlands can build long-term partnerships based on trust and shared values and counter authoritarian narratives with stories of our own. Knudsen’s crucial precondition however is that culture remains shielded from (overt) political instrumentalization as to be credible.

This session invites MFA colleagues from across the ministry to reflect on how international culture cooperation can be a strategic asset in our foreign policy. What makes cultural diplomacy an effective, values-based alternative to great-power politics? How can we effectively “use” cultural cooperation for diplomatic goals without breaking what makes it effective? And how do we do so while cultural budgets are under strain, not just in the Netherlands, but also other European countries like Germany? So that in the end European countries can assert themselves as reliable partners despite the pressure on traditional alliances and multilateral institutions.

Catching the Wave of a Multipolar Order: How China and India Compete and Collaborate and What that Means for Us

with Dr. Yu Jie, C. Raja Mohan and Bert Hofman

Time: 10:00 - 11:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from all Dutch central government organisations

Format: online

This session features an interactive panel discussion on China–India relations, exploring their regional and global competition, the ties that connect them, and the resulting implications for the Netherlands and the EU.

Vooruitkijken met de SG: Wereld in verandering, diplomatie in beweging

met Secretaris-Generaal Christiaan Rebergen

Tijd: 13:00 - 14:00

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: BZ-medewerkers

Format: online

Hoe ziet de wereld van morgen er uit, en wat bekent dat voor ons? Tijdens ‘Vooruitkijken met de SG: Wereld in Verandering, Diplomatie in Beweging’ gaan we in gesprek met onze SG Christiaan Rebergen over trends en ontwikkelingen a.d.h.v. het ESA foresight rapport ‘BZ and the World in 2026’. Samen verkennen wij welke ontwikkelingen op ons afkomen, waar wij ons (on)voldoende op voorbereid voelen en de veranderende rol van diplomatie. Een strategische blik op de toekomst en op wat dat nu al vraagt van BZ en onszelf.

Balancing while Making Speed: the Role of Foreign Policy in Catching the AI Wave

with Matan Chorev and Haroon Sheikh

Time: 16:00 - 17:00

Language: English

For: colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and invitees

Format: online

The development of AI will likely have disruptive consequences for our society, democracy, economy, and security, and it already significantly impacts global relations. At the same time, it offers opportunities for unprecedented development, provided we respond effectively. Besides investing in our own technological base, this requires smart action within the EU, navigating the power-play by the major powers US and China, and forging smart partnerships with middle powers. How can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ) contribute to a smooth and safe AI transition?

Experts Matan Chorev (associate director at RAND Global and Emerging Risks and former principal deputy director of the US Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff) and Haroon Sheikh (VU professor and senior scientist at WRR on AI and the fragmenting world order), will help us gather insight and ideas on how to ride the wave.

Weg van de waan van de dag: Langetermijndenken in een kortetermijnwereld

met Maarten Gehem

Tijd: 10:00 - 11:30

Taal: Nederlands

Voor: BZ-medewerkers

Format: workshop op locatie (Rijnstraat 8)

Veel van de huidige uitdagingen die we kennen waren te voorzien: denk aan klimaatverandering, Europa’s militaire achterstand of onze technologische afhankelijkheid van de VS. Toch bleken we niet in staat om hier voldoende op te anticiperen. Andersom heeft veel beleid dat we nu maken grote gevolgen op de lange termijn. In de praktijk regeert vaak de korte termijn, of zelfs de waan van de dag. Waarom is het zo moeilijk om de toekomst meer gewicht te geven in ons beleid en hoe kan dat beter? In deze workshop op R8 leer je beleid toekomstbestendiger te maken. Maarten Gehem (directeur van De Argumentenfabriek) leidt het thema in en samen gaan we onderzoeken hoe jij op jouw dossiers kunt anticiperen op de toekomst.

Let op: deze sessie op locatie vraagt actieve participatie van de deelnemers. Er is een beperkt aantal plekken beschikbaar.