WILLEMSTAD – Minister of Health, Environment and Nature Tyron Boekhoudt participated in the 21st Annual Forum of the European Union and its Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), held from April 9 to 14 in Aruba.
The event brought together representatives from the European Commission, EU member states with OCTs—Denmark, France, and the Netherlands—and 13 overseas countries and territories, including Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, and others. Alongside the forum, the OCTA Ministerial Conference and, for the first time, an Investment Conference were also held.
During the meetings, Curaçao’s delegation, which included Special Envoy to Brussels Eduard Braam, engaged in discussions on ongoing European-funded programs, including territorial and regional projects under the European Development Fund and the Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021–2027. The sessions focused on evaluating progress and determining next steps.
At the OCTA Ministerial Conference on April 11, chaired by Aruba’s Prime Minister Mike Eman, participants discussed the future direction of the association, financial challenges, and a new EU-OCT framework currently under negotiation. The OCTs jointly signed a declaration calling on the European Union to better address priorities such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and improved access to EU funding programs.
Curaçao was elected as Vice President of OCTA, while Saint Barthélemy assumed the presidency. This development could position Curaçao to host a future EU–OCT forum in the coming years.
During the forum, Minister Boekhoudt also highlighted Curaçao’s priority of digital connectivity in discussions with Dutch State Secretary Eric van der Burg and EU officials, including European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela.
At the conclusion of the forum on April 13, Curaçao signed a regional program focused on the sustainable management of natural capital in Caribbean OCTs.
The following day, the Investment Conference focused on identifying concrete regional investment projects. Curaçao presented four key initiatives: the expansion of digital connectivity through Blue NAP, the development of an additional wind farm by Aqualectra, the expansion of port infrastructure at Koningsplein by Curaçao Ports Authority (Curinde), and the establishment of a regional humanitarian and crisis logistics center.
Officials said the projects align with the European Union’s strategic priorities for the Caribbean, including digital and maritime connectivity, energy transition, environmental challenges such as sargassum, and disaster preparedness.
The Curaçao delegation also included representatives from government agencies, the Chamber of Commerce, Korpodeko, and OBNA, reflecting a coordinated effort between the public and private sectors to advance the island’s development agenda.