Parties that attended the meeting pose for a group photo.
THE HAGUE--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina is seeking stronger cooperation between St. Maarten’s Department of Foreign Relations DBB and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to improve the country’s capacity to represent its interests and pursue international opportunities.
Mercelina raised the issue during a meeting with Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen in The Hague, at the start of his official working visit to the Netherlands.
Their discussions addressed changing geopolitical developments, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, and the implications for St. Maarten and the Kingdom.
The prime minister called for greater support, closer coordination and the sharing of expertise between the two departments. He said stronger cooperation should produce practical results and ensure St. Maarten’s priorities are reflected in the Kingdom’s international engagement.
“A stronger connection must mean greater impact for St. Maarten,” Mercelina stated.
His delegation included Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell, Secretary-General Abel Knottnerus and Chief of Staff Stuart Johnson.
Following the meeting with Berendsen, Mercelina met with Kim Putters, president of the Netherlands’ Social and Economic Council (SER). He also had courtesy encounters with Dutch Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Asylum and Migration Bart van den Brink and Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel.
The working visit includes further engagements with ministries and High Councils of State in the Netherlands, aimed at advancing St. Maarten’s priorities and strengthening cooperation within the Kingdom.
