Jetten announces annual Kingdom Conference, St. Maarten offers to host first meeting

GREAT BAY--Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has announced the establishment of an annual Kingdom Conference, where Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands and St. Maarten will meet on the basis of equality to strengthen cooperation, address shared challenges and set concrete priorities for the Kingdom.

Jetten made the announcement during his working visit to Curaçao, where he met with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and other officials. The first conference is expected to take place later this year, likely in November or December, with St. Maarten having offered to host the inaugural meeting.

According to Jetten, the new annual conference is intended to move beyond general discussions and create a structured platform where the four countries can agree on clear actions.

“This is not about talking without obligation,” Jetten said during a joint media briefing with Prime Minister Pisas. He emphasized that the countries want a concrete agenda with firm agreements that produce visible results for citizens.

“The people in our country must notice that their lives are getting better,” he said.

The planned conference comes at a time when relations within the Kingdom are again focused on equality, autonomy and the need for more balanced cooperation. The Netherlands remains by far the largest country in the Kingdom, with approximately 18 million inhabitants. Curaçao has about 155,000 residents, Aruba more than 108,000 and St. Maarten more than 43,000.

That difference in size has long shaped discussions about influence and decision-making within the Kingdom. Caribbean countries have repeatedly expressed concern that The Hague too often plays a dominant role in matters that directly affect their internal affairs.

Jetten acknowledged that concern during his visit. He said he wants to move away from a pattern in which the Netherlands is seen as repeatedly intervening in the affairs of the other countries of the Kingdom. Instead, he said, the Netherlands should focus more on offering support that helps Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten strengthen their own capacity.

During his visit, Jetten also addressed recent criticism over the Netherlands’ decision in March to abstain from voting on a United Nations resolution that described the transatlantic slave trade as “the most serious crime against humanity ever.” That decision caused concern in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom because the CAS countries were reportedly not consulted beforehand.

Following a visit to the Tula Museum in Curaçao, Jetten said the handling of that vote “does not deserve a beauty prize.” He said he also raised the matter during several discussions on the islands as part of his effort to listen to concerns and improve communication within the Kingdom.

The proposed Kingdom Conference is expected to address common challenges facing the four countries. Jetten mentioned energy production in Curaçao as one example of an area where cooperation could lead to practical results. Other issues are expected to include sustainability, economic resilience, governance, institutional strengthening and the practical relationship between the four countries.

For St. Maarten, hosting the first conference would provide an opportunity to help shape the tone and direction of the new platform. It would also place the country at the center of renewed efforts to strengthen Kingdom relations on a more equal footing.

The announcement follows years of criticism from the Caribbean countries about perceived interference by The Hague in local decision-making. According to those involved in discussions during Jetten’s visit, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten want greater space to make independent choices while still working with the Netherlands on shared concerns.

The annual Kingdom Conference is being positioned as a possible step toward that balance: regular consultation, clearer agreements and a relationship based more on partnership than intervention.

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