Welcome Address – Working Visit to The Hague Security Delta, 9 March 2026 

 

Excellencies, 

It is a great pleasure to welcome you this afternoon. 

Our city is known worldwide as the city of peace, justice and, increasingly, security. 

Your presence at The Hague Security Delta underscores the importance of international cooperation. 

 

Current events show how urgent this is. 

States use digital means to exert geopolitical pressure. 

Cybercriminals are becoming more professional and more audacious. 

The data breach at Odido shows how vulnerable our societies are. 

Digital security is not an abstract theme, but a direct threat to our economy, personal wellbeing and trust in our institutions. 

 

That is why – for the past 5 years – at city hall we have put great effort in our program to build a Cyber Secure The Hague.  

Which helped a great lot to keep the NATO Summit safe. 

And in light of the current developments in the world, these efforts remain of the utmost importance. 

For instance last week, I hosted the 4th edition of our The Hague Cyber Dialogue which involves the leaders of a wide range of critical infrastructure providers.  

From drinking water to public transport.  

From energy to hospitals.  

We want to make sure that we arrange what is needed to keep the city running and improve our resilience together. 

 

This is also why we are building a strong ecosystem for security innovation in The Hague. 

HSD is at the heart of that network. 

Since 2013, government, businesses, knowledge institutions and international partners have worked here on solutions to digital threats. 

We benefit from the presence of NATO bodies, Europol and the National Cyber Security Centre. 

Their expertise and international networks strengthen our position as a centre for digital security. 

 

Last week, the City Council approved the conditional purchase of the former Aegon headquarters in Mariahoeve. 

This will become the national House of Cyber. 

In this centre, government, businesses and knowledge institutions will work closely together. 

This concentration of expertise will allow us to share knowledge more quickly. 

We can accelerate innovation. 

We can respond more effectively to cyberattacks, espionage and sabotage of vital infrastructure. 

The House of Cyber will become a new pillar of the Netherlands’ digital security. 

 

Our international role is also reflected in events such as the One Conference. 

Each year, thousands of experts from around the world come to The Hague to exchange knowledge. 

Cyber Security Week and our cooperation with Europol‑EC3 further strengthen our security cluster. 

The International Cyber Security Summer School has attracted students to The Hague for ten years. 

 

I hope you will gain a clear impression today of the innovations being developed here. 

Of the cooperation that defines us. 

And of the opportunities to deepen our partnerships. 

The challenges are great, but together we can build a safer world.