First 'welcome' day with new oath or affirmation of office
On 11 February around 36 new staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (BZ) were sworn in using the new oath or affirmation of office during their ‘welcome’ day, organised by the Academy for International Relations. This part of the onboarding process is an opportunity for new BZ staff to get to know each other, become acquainted with the ministry’s various organisational units and take the oath or affirmation.
Speaking on behalf of the Senior Management Board, Michiel Sweers, Director-General for Foreign Economic Relations (DGBEB), addressed the new arrivals before they were sworn in: ‘When you start working for central government, you take the oath or affirmation of office. In doing so, you acknowledge that your work is important for everyone in our society, and declare that you will do your best to perform your duties effectively, fairly and reliably, regardless of what your job is. In practice you will encounter dilemmas, and you may have doubts about the right thing to do. When this happens, talk to your colleagues or your manager, because they will have similar experiences.’
Being a central government civil servant is not just any job
Bram Hausman, who is training to be an operational manager in the ministry’s Operational Management Section, attended the welcome day and was sworn in at the end of the day’s proceedings. ‘Being a central government civil servant isn’t just any job. Michiel explained very clearly that we all have a key role to play in representing the public interest. The oath or affirmation truly is a promise you make. So being sworn in was a special moment, and it makes me proud to do this job.’
The new oath/affirmation of office was introduced on 1 January 2025. The new text is easier to understand and makes it clearer that, as a civil servant, you work in the general interest of our society. It also better expresses the principle that in our work as public servants we treat everyone fairly, equally and with respect.
It is important for people’s trust in government that a civil servant does what they say they will do. This is why a civil servant’s oath or affirmation must be clear to everyone. Many staff across central government found the previous oath/affirmation outdated and difficult to understand.
If you’d like more information about the new oath and affirmation of office, you can read all about it in this information leaflet.