IHE Delft Governing Board member Meike van Ginneken appointed special Water Envoy
IHE Delft Governing Board member Meike van Ginneken has been appointed as Netherlands Special Envoy for Water effective 1 August 2023. She will also serve as programme director Climate Adaptation in the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
The Water Envoy is appointed by the Dutch Cabinet as a thematic ambassador across the full spectrum of the water sector. The Water Envoy strengthens the Dutch international water ambition and connects a close network in the Netherlands with international partners and processes.
Meike van Ginneken is a water leader with 25 years of experience across five continents. Van Ginneken’s contributions have helped provide millions of people access to water and sanitation services. Van Ginneken held multiple leadership positions at the World Bank. Her responsibilities included managing the energy portfolio in West & Central Africa as well as the water portfolio in South Asia. She served as the UN Assistant Secretary General at the International Fund for Agricultural Development and as the Chief Executive Officer of SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.
"Water and climate are transboundary challenges. The Netherlands is a catalyst for getting water on the international agenda and to share water knowledge. I’m very much looking forward to start my role as Water Envoy."
Van Ginneken will build on the achievements of Henk Ovink, who has made a major impact as the first Dutch Water Envoy in advancing the Dutch international water ambition.