In a formal ceremony held at the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Santo Domingo, the Caribbean nation has honored departing Dutch Ambassador Fredrik Lammert Keurhorst with one of its highest state distinctions, the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella, Grand Cross Silver Plaque. The award recognizes Keurhorst’s four years of dedicated diplomatic work and his far-reaching contributions to advancing cooperation between the Dominican Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The honor was formally authorized by Dominican President Luis Abinader via Decree No. 532-26, a presidential order that explicitly acknowledges the ambassador’s key achievements over his tenure and his instrumental role in deepening bilateral collaboration. Dominican Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, who presented the decoration on behalf of the president, used the occasion to underscore the enduring, friendly relations that have linked the two nations for decades, while also highlighting the remarkable expansion of their economic partnership in recent years.
Official data shared by Minister Bisonó shows that bilateral trade between the two countries is on track to hit $841 million USD in 2025, with Dominican exports to the Netherlands accounting for $479 million of that total. This robust trade volume solidifies the Netherlands’ position as the Dominican Republic’s 10th largest trading partner worldwide, a milestone that reflects the growing integration of the two economies.
After accepting the award, Keurhorst extended his sincere gratitude to President Abinader and the Dominican people for the recognition. He reflected on the wide range of joint initiatives launched and advanced during his time in post, spanning sectors as diverse as sustainable urban mobility, climate action and environmental protection, human rights advocacy, gender equality, digital connectivity, and cross-border trade and investment.
Speaking about his host nation, the outgoing ambassador praised the Dominican Republic as a dynamic, economically open country that has delivered impressive, broad-based economic progress in recent years while steadily strengthening its standing in global diplomatic and economic forums. The ceremony drew a diverse crowd of senior attendees, including top leadership from the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, senior staff from the Dutch Embassy in Santo Domingo, members of the national Diplomatic Corps, representatives of global intergovernmental organizations, other senior Dominican government officials, and invited special guests.