Ambassador Henny Fokel de Vries, a seasoned Dutch diplomat, served as the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Pakistan from 2022 to 2025. She is widely recognized for her commitment to fostering intercultural understanding and strengthening people-to-people ties.
Throughout her tenure, she focused on youth engagement, civil society collaboration, and institutional dialogue. Now that she is concluding her tenure in Pakistan, it is worth reflecting on her key contributions during this period.
Economic and climate diplomacy: One of her central areas of focus was economic and climate diplomacy. In 2023, she highlighted Pakistan’s position as the sixth largest non-European trade partner of the Netherlands.
She emphasized the importance of Dutch expertise in water management and climate resilience, particularly given Pakistan’s exposure to environmental challenges. She also encouraged long-term cooperation in agriculture, irrigation, horticulture, and vocational training where Dutch technical strengths could directly support Pakistan’s development goals.
Cultural diplomacy also remained a strong pillar of her work, with a special emphasis on sports. In February 2025, she hosted a reception for Dutch and German hockey teams visiting Pakistan. She described the event as “the start of a long tradition” and spoke of sports as a powerful tool to build connections between countries.
Throughout her tenure, she actively participated in local sports events and encouraged young players with her presence and attention.
Big thanks to Khawja Junaid Hockey Academy for the warm welcome and inspiring energy during the Ambassador’s recent visit to Lahore 🇵🇰.
The passion and talent of these young hockey stars was truly uplifting. pic.twitter.com/2UShiY3tji
— NLinPakistan 🇳🇱 🇵🇰 (@NLinPakistan) July 21, 2025
Legislative and policy collaboration: Another major focus of her tenure was legislative and policy collaboration. In March 2025, Ambassador de Vries led a delegation that met with Pakistani officials to discuss legal reforms.
She welcomed the progress on initiatives such as the National Commission for Minorities Bill and expressed strong support for Pakistan’s efforts to enhance constitutional protections. The Netherlands also extended support to legislative and policy efforts concerning freedom of religion, digital rights, and child protection, including collaboration with platforms like Meta.
Read more: Dutch Ambassador Pays Farewell Visit to Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister
Human rights and governance: Her engagement in human rights and governance was also notable. Throughout her time in Pakistan, she participated in several high-level meetings to support the country’s human rights landscape. In July 2025, as her tenure came to an end, she met with Minister Tarar.
Senator Tarar praised her “pivotal role” in strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to upholding human rights and social cohesion. During the meeting, De Veries commended Pakistan’s non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council and acknowledged steps taken to address intolerance and improve child privacy protections online.
Ambassador of the Netherlands, Henny Fokel de Vries, visited Federal Minister for Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar for a farewell meeting at the conclusion of her diplomatic tenure in Pakistan. The Minister appreciated her contributions to human rights and minority pic.twitter.com/SYnMYlnp3S
— Ministry of Human Rights (@mohrpakistan) July 23, 2025
Ambassador Henny Fokel de Vries leaves behind a legacy of strengthened bilateral relations rooted in shared values and practical cooperation. Her work in Pakistan demonstrated how diplomacy can meaningfully engage across trade, culture, and governance to build enduring partnerships. Indeed she worked as a vital bridge between Pakistan and the Netherlands.
Noor ul Sabah
Noor ul Sabah is a feminist researcher focused on intersectional approaches to gender, technology, and governance. Her work explores how power and identity shape experiences of violence, migration, and citizenship.
