WILLEMSTAD – On April 9, 2025, Mr. Zsolt Szabó, the State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalization, paid a working visit to the Council of Ministers of Curaçao. 

During the visit, Mr. Szabó congratulated Prime Minister Gilmar ‘Pik’ Pisas on his victory in the March 21 parliamentary elections. Mr. Pisas accepted the congratulations and elaborated on the key factors behind the election success, attributing it mainly to the communication campaign that highlighted the government's achievements—particularly in the healthcare sector. He also emphasized his commitment to democratic governance, despite securing a relatively strong majority, and explained how he intends to maintain that commitment in practice. 

The conversation also covered the value chain for the production and distribution of green hydrogen—a long-term priority for the Curaçao government. However, the Prime Minister noted that this remains a costly endeavor. Over the coming period, decisions will need to be made about how to move forward, as governments work to make funding available. Discussions on this subject are set to continue in two weeks with Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Beljaarts. 

Geopolitical issues were also addressed during the meeting, with both parties discussing how the countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands can maintain effective communication and assess the potential impact of global developments on each individual country. Mr. Szabó indicated that the Ministry of Kingdom Relations is willing to support Curaçao’s civil service with information wherever needed. 

The meeting also touched on the Landspakket (Country Package), which is set to expire in 2027. Both parties expressed interest in exploring ways to continue cooperation on ongoing and valuable themes, even after the formal end of the Landspakket. 

Finally, initial discussions were held about how Curaçao will handle the state guarantees that expired in the past year. The government will soon need to start repaying the loans associated with those guarantees. Conversations are underway to determine the necessary steps, with further discussions expected to continue at the administrative level in the short term.