WASHINGTON - On April 17, the Prime Minister of Curaçao, Gilmar Pisas, accompanied by Minister of Finance Charles Cooper, visited the World Bank in Washington, D.C., where they received a presentation from Eugene Rhuggenaath, one of the institution’s Executive Directors representing several countries, including the Netherlands.
Rhuggenaath during the meeting with Prime Minister Pisas and Minister Cooper
During the meeting with Rhuggenaath and a team of World Bank professionals specializing in agriculture, discussions focused on the Bank’s work and the types of support it can offer to Curaçao. Particular attention was given to the recently launched Small State Strategy, which is specifically designed to address the unique needs of smaller nations.
The World Bank team also presented a potential project on food security that could be implemented in Curaçao with the institution’s support. In this context, reference was made to the “Curaçao Food Security Assessment,” a report published by the World Bank in 2023, which outlines key recommendations to strengthen the island’s food security.
The meeting identified concrete ways in which the World Bank can assist Curaçao in the areas of agriculture and food security—both key priorities of the Pisas III Cabinet as part of its broader strategy for sustainable national development.