Peace, freedom, and prosperity in the world are the spearheads of Dutch foreign policy. Development cooperation is an integral part. The Netherlands is a member of several multilateral organisations, such as the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
It also attaches importance to good relations with its close neighbours: France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries, and Benelux partners Belgium and Luxembourg.
The Netherlands is home to various international organisations, including the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and the International Criminal Court.
Referring to the Netherlands' leading role in international law, the former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali once called The Hague the "legal capital of the world".
