Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
17 May 2000
Ambassador Carl Gerhardus Niehaus, who leaves the Netherlands for South Africa in a few weeks' time, was bestowed with a top decoration, The Grand Cross in the Order of Oranje Nassau, during a farewell luncheon hosted by Queen Beatrix at her Residential Palace Huis Ten Bosch, in his honour. The Queen bestowed the decoration of honour, for distinguished services to the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the parting Ambassador. The Order, which is only given to selected Ambassadors and is the highest Order that can be bestowed to representatives of foreign countries. This honour is seen as a symbol of recognition for the good contribution Ambassador Niehaus made in relations between the two countries, and for furthering cultural relations between the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Queen thanked Ambassador Niehaus, for his personal contribution of the remarkable improvement to the bilateral relations after his arrival in the Netherlands in 1997. She stressed that during his period as Ambassador in The Hague, he had made a difference in all areas of his work. This is not only manifested by the number of reciprocal high-level visits between the Netherlands and South Africa, which took place during his term, but also by his support for closer cultural exchanges between the people of the Netherlands and the people of South Africa. Also, in the multilateral fora, Ambassador Niehaus had ensured that South Africa could play a meaningful role.
South Africa remained an important political and economic partner for the Netherlands, and is its most important trading partner in Africa.
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