THE HAGUE – State Secretary Eric van der Burg will next week embark on his first official visit to all six Caribbean islands of the Kingdom, in a tour that goes beyond a simple introduction and touches on some of the most sensitive issues facing the region.
The visit, scheduled from April 7 to April 17, will take him to Sint Eustatius, Saba, Sint Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. While officially presented as a kennismaking, or introductory tour, the agenda indicates a broader and more substantive mission focused on governance, security and economic resilience.
According to the program, Van der Burg will engage with local governments, members of parliament and civil society organizations across the islands. In addition, he is expected to visit a range of on-the-ground projects, including port development initiatives in Saba, reconstruction efforts in Sint Maarten and agricultural projects in Aruba.
The themes on the table reflect ongoing structural challenges within the Kingdom. Discussions will include effective governance, cooperation between the countries and food security—topics that directly relate to the political and economic relationships between the Netherlands and its Caribbean partners.
On Curaçao, the visit will include meetings with social organizations as well as the Slavery History Commemoration Committee. This signals that the trip will also address social and historical issues that have gained prominence in recent years, particularly in the context of discussions about the legacy of slavery and its lasting impact on society.
Van der Burg’s stop in Aruba will coincide with the LGO-EU Forum, an international meeting between the European Union and the Overseas Countries and Territories. There, key topics such as sustainable economic growth, rule of law, climate policy and digital transformation will be discussed.
The timing of the visit is significant. Within the Kingdom, debates continue over financial supervision, economic reforms and administrative effectiveness, particularly in relation to the ongoing reform packages agreed between the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries.
Against this backdrop, the tour takes on the character of a broad assessment of the current state of affairs across the islands. It also marks Van der Burg’s first substantive positioning in Caribbean affairs since taking office.
The meetings and site visits are expected to provide a clearer picture of the main challenges facing the islands, as well as how the Dutch government intends to engage with them in the period ahead.