Netherlands invited to G20 summit in Germany next year

German Chancellor Angela Merkel invited the Netherlands to the G20 summit happening in Hamburg on July 7th and 8th next year. From Thursday Germany is the chairman of the G20 for the next 12 months, NU.nl reports

Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the invitation good news. "We earn a significant portion of our money in international trade. In the G20 the largest economies of the world discus a wide range of toopics that affect financial stability and economic growth. These issues affect Dutch interests directly", he said.

"The invitation to the G20 summit in 2017 is a diplomatic success for the Netherlands", Minister Bert Koenders of Foreign Affairs said. "This is a great opportunity for the Netherlands to hand out our business card in the runup to our participation in the UN Security Council in 2018."

The G20 was established during the Asian crisis in 1999. Its aim is to get the most important industrial and emerging countries together. The Netherlands also participated, at special invitation in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 summits.