WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 16, 2026, Curaçao’s Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, accompanied by Finance Minister Charles Cooper and chief negotiator Caryl Monte, held a working meeting with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, during their visit to Washington, D.C.
Prime Minister Pisas and Minister Cooper with WTO representatives
As head of the WTO, Okonjo-Iweala oversees the global multilateral trading system, which includes 164 members consisting of independent countries and customs territories. During the meeting, she exchanged views with the Curaçao delegation on a range of issues related to international trade, with particular focus on the impact on small economies.
Curaçao has held observer status within the WTO since March 3, 2020, and is working toward becoming a full independent member of the organization. Discussions focused on the importance of advancing this process and, where possible, accelerating Curaçao’s accession to full membership.
Both Prime Minister Pisas and Minister Cooper reaffirmed Curaçao’s commitment to continuing the accession process, emphasizing the potential benefits for the island’s trade relations both within the region and internationally.
For her part, the WTO Director-General indicated that the organization is prepared to provide the necessary support to assist Curaçao in achieving its membership goals as efficiently as possible. It was also confirmed that a WTO delegation is expected to visit Curaçao in May to further support the process.