GREAT BAY---Prime Minister Rob Jetten will visit St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire, Aruba and Curaçao from May 8 to 14, 2026, as part of his first official visit to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom in his capacity as Prime Minister.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the visit underscores the importance the Dutch Government places on maintaining strong relations and cooperation within the Kingdom.
During the visit, Prime Minister Jetten will hold talks with the Prime Ministers, Governors and members of the Estates of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten, as well as the Island Governors and Island Councils of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The discussions will focus on resilience, safety and sustainability.
The program will also include meetings with residents, entrepreneurs and social organizations throughout the islands.
Prime Minister Jetten will begin his visit in St. Maarten, where he will be briefed on reconstruction, law enforcement, good governance and cooperation in the event of disasters and crises. He will also meet with various organizations to discuss issues relevant to society, including youth, care and welfare, tourism and entrepreneurship, as well as the work of non-governmental organizations.
On Sunday, May 10, the Prime Minister will travel to Saba, where he will visit the Saba Cares Nursing Home and speak with elderly residents about their lives in the nursing home. He will also visit the St. Johns Enrichment Center, where a multifunctional community center is being built in the middle of existing school buildings.
The following day, Prime Minister Jetten will visit St. Eustatius. His program will include a visit to the oil transshipment terminal and a city walk focused on the island’s history of slavery and cultural heritage. The walk will also reflect on the commemoration of Statia Day 2026, which marks 250 years since the First Salute, when the Netherlands became the first foreign power to recognize the United States as an independent state.
On Tuesday, May 12, the Prime Minister will be on Bonaire, where he will visit the Selibon landfill and receive an update on the collection, recycling and processing of waste. After a conversation with LVV Bonaire about a future-proof and sustainable food system, he will tour a social housing construction project.
Prime Minister Jetten will continue to Aruba later that day. In the evening, he will attend the official premiere of a documentary about the nature of Aruba, which forms part of the multimedia project “WOW! About Nature in the Caribbean Part of the Kingdom.” On Wednesday, May 13, he will visit Arikok National Park, the Centro Deportivo Libertador Betico Croes sports center, and a company visit connected to the MKB Access scheme. He will conclude his Aruba visit with a tour of Reina Beatrix Airport before departing for Curaçao.
In Curaçao, the Prime Minister will be informed about social challenges on the island during a dinner meeting with social partners and the business community. On the morning of May 14, the program will begin with a briefing at the Parera Naval Base on the geopolitical situation in the Caribbean. He will then visit the Tula Museum, followed by a meeting on neighborhood renewal in the afternoon.
The visit will conclude with a tour of the new battery park of energy company Aqualectra.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/st-maarten-is-the-first-stop-on-prime-minister-rob-jettens-caribbean-visit
