President Maia Sandu has awarded the Order of Honour to Fred Duijn, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Republic of Moldova, during a farewell meeting marking the conclusion of his diplomatic mandate. The distinction was granted in recognition of the ambassador’s significant contribution to strengthening Moldovan–Dutch relations and his support for the Republic of Moldova’s European integration path, TRIBUNA reports.

Fred Duijn was the first Dutch ambassador resident in Chișinău. President Maia Sandu thanked him for his consistent support for the Republic of Moldova in advancing democratic reforms, strengthening the rule of law, reforming the justice system, implementing the judicial vetting process, and enhancing the country’s resilience against hybrid threats. These efforts have helped reinforce Moldova’s accession process to the European Union.

The two officials reviewed the progress of bilateral relations, which in recent years have been marked by intensified political dialogue, stronger cooperation in the fields of security and justice, and growing trade exchanges. In May, President Maia Sandu paid a visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, where she met with Prime Minister Rob Jetten and other Dutch officials. In April, Moldovan–Dutch security consultations were held in The Hague.