THE HAGUE – Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has looked back positively on his visit to Curaçao, highlighting cooperation within the Kingdom, security, sustainable energy and social development. However, some of the most politically sensitive issues discussed during his visit, including the future of the country package and the refinancing of Dutch loans, were not mentioned in his public messages.
Jetten visited Curaçao on May 13 and 14 as part of his introductory tour of the six Caribbean islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In a social media message, he described Curaçao as an island that is “flourishing and growing” and said discussions focused on geopolitical developments, rising living costs and cooperation between Curaçao and the Netherlands.
One of the main outcomes of the visit was an agreement to revive the annual Kingdom Conference. The meeting is intended to bring together the governments of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten as equal partners to discuss shared challenges and make concrete agreements.
According to Jetten, the conference should not become a symbolic meeting but must lead to “real cooperation and concrete results” that improve the lives of residents.
The Kingdom Conference had previously lost momentum because the countries could not agree on the agenda. The first meeting under the renewed format is expected to take place later this year in Sint Maarten.
Financial discussions remain open
Although Jetten emphasized cooperation in his public communication, he did not mention discussions about the future of the country package or the refinancing of Dutch loans to Curaçao.
The country package was introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic. In exchange for financial support from the Netherlands, Curaçao committed to reforms in areas including public finances, taxation, economic development and governance.
During the visit, Jetten and Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas discussed how this cooperation should continue and what should happen when existing Dutch loans reach maturity. No agreements have been announced regarding possible new conditions, interest rates or repayment periods.
The future of these financial arrangements remains one of the most important issues in the relationship between Curaçao and the Netherlands.