WILLEMSTAD – Rob Jetten is currently midway through his introductory visit to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with sustainability, resilience, and regional cooperation forming the central themes of the trip.
Today, the Dutch prime minister is visiting Bonaire after spending Tuesday on Sint Eustatius, where significant attention was given to the shared history of slavery within the Kingdom.
While on Statia, Jetten met with the Slavery Heritage Commemoration Committee to discuss the importance of historical awareness, education, and the transfer of knowledge about the trans-Atlantic slavery past.
He also visited the island’s oil terminal and several historic locations connected to “The First Salute” — the moment in 1776 when Sint Eustatius became the first foreign territory to formally acknowledge the independence of the United States.
On Bonaire, the prime minister’s program focuses on several local social and environmental challenges.
Jetten is being briefed on waste management issues involving Selibon, the quality of primary education, sustainable food systems, and a construction project involving social housing.
The Dutch prime minister is scheduled to conclude the day on Aruba, where he will attend the premiere of a new nature documentary about the island.
The Caribbean tour comes at a time when discussions within the Kingdom increasingly focus on climate resilience, economic sustainability, social development, and strengthening ties between the European Netherlands and the Caribbean islands.