THE HAGUE – The Netherlands is making a new loan of nearly XCG 81 million available to Curaçao for capital investments ranging from roads and digitalization to the historic Stadhuis, an international submarine telecommunications cable and equipment for the Coast Guard.
The financing is included in the Dutch Kingdom Relations budget published on Prinsjesdag. Converted into euros, the loan amounts to almost €40 million and will be provided through the Kingdom's so-called current subscription mechanism.
Under this arrangement, Curaçao can finance approved capital investments under conditions linked to Dutch government borrowing. The amount is recorded in the Dutch budget as expenditure for 2026 rather than 2027.
The Dutch budget does not specify how the nearly XCG 81 million will be divided among the individual projects. It identifies digitalization, renovation of the Stadhuis, maintenance and management of road infrastructure, the telecommunications submarine cable and the acquisition of Coast Guard equipment as areas to be financed.
The new financing follows another substantial investment loan obtained by Curaçao in December 2025. That loan amounted to almost XCG 116 million, had a 30-year maturity and was also intended for projects involving the Stadhuis, digitalization, infrastructure and equipment for the Coast Guard and Fire Department.
Several of the projects financed through the new loan are therefore part of longer-term investment programs rather than entirely new initiatives.
Work on the historic Stadhuis at Wilhelminaplein, for example, has already begun after years of delays. The monumental building has been largely out of use since 2020. The required monument permit was finalized in October 2025, clearing an important obstacle to the renovation.
The international submarine cable is another ongoing project. Curaçao is expected to connect to the CELIA international cable system, providing the island with an additional connection to international data networks. The project is intended to reduce dependence on a limited number of existing cables, some of which are aging. The connection is expected to become available in 2027.
The latest loan demonstrates that Dutch financing continues to play a significant role in Curaçao's capital investment program. However, the amount is considerably below the island government's total financing requirements, with Curaçao planning substantially larger investments over the coming years.