THE HAGUE - The much-anticipated Kingdom Conference has been cancelled without a new date set, casting doubt on the future of this significant intergovernmental summit. State Secretary Alexandra Van Huffelen has conceded that she will not witness its rescheduling in her current tenure: "With new governments in both Sint Maarten and soon in the Netherlands, this will be something for the new cabinet," her spokesperson stated.
The drive to revive the annual Kingdom Conference gained momentum in July 2022, when a large majority in the House of Representatives passed the Wuite/Van Raan motion. This motion urged the cabinet to restore the yearly summit involving the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The responsibility for organizing the conference was assigned to a joint 'Kingdom Commission,' chaired by Curaçao.
However, progress stalled as the commission could not commence its duties. The prime ministers and the state secretary needed to sign an establishment protocol before any work could begin. This protocol was never signed due to Aruba's disagreement with the proposed structure of the conference. Consequently, in February, Van Huffelen announced that the planned summit would not proceed. At that time, she expressed optimism that a new date could be arranged soon.
With the responsibility now passed to a new cabinet, the prospect of a future Kingdom Conference remains uncertain. The political parties involved in the current framework agreement do not have a reputation for strong support of the Caribbean territories within the Kingdom, further casting doubt on the likelihood of the conference's revival.
As stakeholders await further developments, the fate of this pivotal forum for intercountry dialogue and cooperation hangs in the balance.