Event — IIAS lecture

Five billion dollars spent, no influence gained. Dutch-Indonesian relations 1962 – 1992

IIAS Lecture presented by Mr. Jan-Paul Dirkse
Ambassador designate to the Russian Federation and Affiliated fellow at IIAS

Nonnensteeg 1-3
Room 329


After 350 years of Dutch presence in the Indonesian archipelago, Dutch political and economic influence in that part of the world ended between 1949 and 1962. After the transfer of sovereignty in 1949 and the nationalization of Dutch economic interests in 1957, the transfer of West New Guinea in 1962 marked the complete end of Dutch presence.

The Dutch vanished from Indonesia within 15 years, and although the Netherlands spent more than 5 billion dollars in development aid between 1964 and 1992 in Indonesia no position of any influence was regained. The Dutch chaired the Intergovernmental Group on Indonesia for almost 25 years, without ever becoming a partner of its former colony in a way that is comparable to, e.g., Britain and India, and France and many countries in West Africa. A perfect example of decolonization?

For more information, please contact IIAS:
Ms. Amis Boersma
071-5272227
a.boersma@let.leidenuniv.nl