WILLEMSTAD – On Wednesday, September 30, the Curaçao Council of Ministers welcomed Savannah, Georgia Mayor Van R. Johnson II during his official visit to Curaçao. The meeting took place in an open and relaxed atmosphere and focused on strengthening cooperation between Curaçao and Savannah.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas emphasized the importance of the International Friendship Agreement that Curaçao and Savannah are set to sign. According to the prime minister, the partnership will give Curaçao access to new knowledge, expertise, networks and capacity that could contribute to the island’s further development.
Pisas specifically highlighted opportunities for cooperation in sports, including bringing expertise and experienced coaches to Curaçao to help strengthen local sports development.
The prime minister also expressed his expectation that the relationship with Savannah will create new business and economic opportunities. He noted that the first contacts between the two sides emerged approximately two years ago around the visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to Georgia and Savannah.
Pisas expressed appreciation for the continuity of those contacts and for the efforts to transform the relationship into concrete cooperation.
The Curaçao government also thanked the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Atlanta for supporting and encouraging relations between Curaçao and Savannah over the past two years. Particular recognition was given to former Consul General Jaap Veerman, who played an important role in establishing and developing the relationship.
During the meeting, Mayor Johnson said the friendship between Savannah and Curaçao has, in practice, already been established. According to Johnson, the personal relationship provides a strong foundation for developing business and institutional cooperation, noting that it is easier and more enjoyable to do business with friends.
Several concrete areas for cooperation have already been identified during the Savannah delegation’s visit.
In marine sciences and research, connections have been established between CARMABI, the Curaçao Sea Aquarium and Savannah State University. Opportunities are being explored for joint research, exchanges involving students and scientists, access to research facilities and cooperation in obtaining international research funding.
Potential cultural cooperation has also been identified. This includes working with the National Archaeological Anthropological Memory Management Foundation (NAAM) on research, digitization and student exchanges, as well as exchanging expertise in cultural heritage, language preservation and heritage tourism.
Economic opportunities were also discussed during visits to Curaçao’s maritime sector. Curaçao Ports Authority, CDM/Damen and 2Bays presented their developments and ambitions to the Savannah delegation. Both sides expressed interest in further contacts involving port development, maritime services, aquaculture and technical education.
The International Friendship Agreement is intended to provide a framework for expanding these contacts and directly connecting institutions, businesses, knowledge organizations and government entities in Curaçao and Savannah.
The agreement will be signed on behalf of the Curaçao government by Minister of Economic Development Roderick Middelhof and on behalf of the City of Savannah by Mayor Van R. Johnson II.
The Savannah delegation included Johnson; Dionne Hoskins-Brown, research fishery biologist with NOAA Fisheries of the U.S. Department of Commerce and Savannah State University; and Djuanna Brockington, executive director of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor National Heritage Area.
Also present were Vanessa Toré, Sector Director for Foreign Economic Cooperation, and Elior Boeldak of Curaçao’s Ministry of Economic Development.