THE HAGUE – The parliaments of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten have jointly expressed their strong disagreement with the Kingdom of the Netherlands' decision to abstain from a United Nations vote recognizing slavery and the trans-Atlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans as among the gravest crimes against humanity.
The position was formalized in a joint resolution adopted during the Tripartite Consultation held in The Hague on June 4, 2026. The consultation brought together the parliamentary committees responsible for Kingdom Affairs, Interparliamentary Relations and Foreign Relations from the three Caribbean countries.
The resolution was subsequently presented during the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO), which began on June 5 in The Hague. The document was formally handed to the Dutch parliamentary delegation by the presidents of the three Caribbean parliaments: Sarah Wescot-Williams of Sint Maarten, Alfred Sneek of Aruba and Fergino Brownbill of Curaçao.
At the heart of the dispute is a vote that took place at the United Nations on March 25, 2026. The resolution sought international recognition of slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade as one of the most serious crimes against humanity. While many countries supported the measure, the Kingdom of the Netherlands chose to abstain.
The parliamentary delegations of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten argue that the decision does not reflect the historical experiences and perspectives of the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom, where the legacy of slavery continues to have social, cultural and economic consequences.
The three delegations stressed that slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade remain deeply significant issues for the peoples of the Caribbean and that international recognition is an important step in addressing the lasting effects of that history.
By adopting the joint resolution, the Caribbean parliaments are sending a unified message to the Dutch government and Parliament that they believe the Kingdom should have taken a clearer position in support of the resolution.
The issue is expected to become part of broader discussions within IPKO concerning Kingdom relations, historical justice, and the way the Kingdom represents all four constituent countries in international forums.
The resolution also highlights growing calls from the Caribbean countries for greater consultation and consideration of their perspectives on matters involving the history of slavery, colonialism and their continuing impact on societies throughout the Kingdom.