BRUSSELS - State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, Van Huffelen, underscored Europe's obligation to contribute to the sustainable development of overseas territories during her speech at the OCT Forum in Brussels.
In her address, Van Huffelen stressed the significant strategic value of the relationship between the European Union (EU) and the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), especially amid global shifts in the world order. "They play a vital role in enhancing the European Union's influence worldwide and promoting European values. Hence, I advocate for a more effective utilization of the strategic partnership between the EU and OCTs, representing a mutually beneficial collaboration."
Van Huffelen proposed several measures to enhance cooperation. "Let's begin by streamlining processes and rules, making it more straightforward for OCTs to optimize European funds. This includes providing access to funds for critical priorities such as climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development. Moreover, let's integrate OCTs into EU-Latin American and Caribbean countries (EU-CELAC) cooperation, actively involving them in trade agreements and projects. Most importantly, let's continue the positive initiatives, such as offering training and technical assistance to OCTs."
The Caribbean territories within the Kingdom were prominently featured at the annual OCT Forum. Aruba secured 14 million euros for E-government development, and Bonaire received 4.6 million for waste water management. Past contributions were also acknowledged for other islands. Additionally, the EU has allocated 21 million for the Caribbean region, with an extra 1.15 million per OCT for intra-regional cooperation.