Arnhem Nijmegen Region Deal - Healthy Green Growth
Working together on Healthy Green Growth in Arnhem Nijmegen
In Regio Deals, regional parties and the government work together on large and complex social tasks. Issues that are too big or too intertwined for one party to solve alone. In the Arnhem-Nijmegen Regional Deal, authorities, knowledge institutions, businesses and social organisations join forces to build a region that is pleasant to live, work and play in - now and in the future.
Broad prosperity as a compass
The Green Arnhem-Nijmegen Metropolitan Region, The Economic Board and Gelderland province join forces in the region's first Regio Deal. The aim: to strengthen broad prosperity - not only economic growth, but also health, a strong labour market, future-proof housing and a healthy living environment for residents and entrepreneurs.
The region faces major challenges: increasing pressure on healthcare, a substantial housing shortage, a tight labour market and economic growth behind the national average. At the same time, the Arnhem Nijmegen region has a strong innovative force: leading knowledge institutions, innovative companies and committed authorities. By linking this strength to social tasks, the region can make a difference - and serve as an example for the whole of the Netherlands.
From regional ideas to joint approach
In 2022, more than 180 representatives of municipalities, knowledge institutions, companies and civil society organisations joined forces with the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to explore the biggest challenges and find innovative solutions. This resulted in the Regio Deal 'Healthy Green Growth', in which social impact and economic development go hand in hand.
The Arnhem-Nijmegen Region Deal consists of six programme lines that reinforce each other:
- Healthy living
A greater focus on prevention and new healthcare concepts close to home. By promoting health and reducing health inequalities between population groups, healthcare remains accessible and affordable. - Future-proof housing
Accelerating housing construction by removing restrictive regulations and bringing together stakeholders in the construction supply chain. The focus is on circular, bio-based and climate-adaptive construction, as well as on accelerating the energy transition. - Strong business activity
Future-proof SMEs through innovations in CO₂ reduction, circularity, digitalisation and making workplaces more sustainable. This ensures the region remains economically vibrant and attractive. - A functioning labour market
Less fragmentation and greater coherence in the ongoing upskilling and reskilling of workers and jobseekers. Particular attention is being paid to attracting, training and retaining talent in engineering, ICT and healthcare. - Borderless collaboration
Strengthening structural collaboration with German partners. The border region offers unique opportunities for the economy, the labour market and innovation. - Neighbourhood- and village-focused approach
Challenges are tackled in a practical and localised way. By working at a neighbourhood and village level, visible impact is achieved more quickly and solutions are better aligned with residents’ everyday lives.
Investing in the future of the region
For the Arnhem–Nijmegen Regional Deal, the national government is making 15 million euros available, a sum that will be at least doubled regionally by partners – entrepreneurs, educational and research institutions, civil society organisations, local authorities and the province. This creates a powerful investment programme that stimulates collaboration and sets new initiatives in motion. The first projects, launched in mid-2024, demonstrate how this collaboration directly results in an impact on neighbourhoods, businesses and institutions. Clickhere for all projects and progress updates
Why this Regio Deal?
The Regional Deal makes it possible to tackle urgent challenges in an integrated manner, act more swiftly and scale up where necessary. By investing jointly in healthy, green growth, we are not only strengthening the Arnhem–Nijmegen region, but also developing solutions that can be applied nationwide. The region and central government are taking joint responsibility for a future-proof region. In this way, the Arnhem–Nijmegen Regional Deal becomes more than just a programme: it is a joint movement towards a healthy, green and resilient region. Ahmed Marcouch, former chair of The Economic Board and mayor of Arnhem, talks in this video about the importance of this Regional Deal for Arnhem–Nijmegen.
