ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas says Curacao’s accession to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as an associate member “is a testament to our shared vision of a united, prosperous, and resilient Caribbean Community”.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas of Curacao and CARICOM Chairman, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada signing the documents regarding the Dutch country’s accession to membership of CARICOM (CMC Photo)“We also bring with us, the experience, resources and the vast international network of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which we can leverage in optimizing our collective strengths and economic connections, and to navigate geo-political complexities to the benefit of all CARICOM members states and associate members,” Pisas told the signing ceremony.
He said that the Dutch-speaking country, which celebrated its 73rd anniversary of constitutional change on July 2 last year, became part of the Netherlands Antilles, which was dismantled in 2010 and the “new” constitutional country of Curaçao came into being.
“These were significant constitutional moments in our long history within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today marks another historic event for Curaçao as we formally join the Caribbean Community as its sixth associate member, thereby honoring the commitment of our country to a shared responsibility for the sustainable development and overall progress and well-being of all nations within the Caribbean Community. “
He said just as it is the case with the other associate members in their relationship with the United Kingdom, Curacao’s membership of and commitments within the family of the Kingdom of the Netherlands “will not compromise our commitment towards further regional integration and its objectives as this commitment comes from the fact that we are an integral part of the Caribbean family.
“Our cultural identity is linked to the rich historical heritage of the Caribbean region. We intend to demonstrate a firm commitment towards CARICOM, and the common aspirations of its members.”
Pisas said that by joining the regional integration movement, “we affirm our commitment to work together in the interest of the collective values and aspirations that bind all of us as small island development states in the Caribbean region.
“In addition, CARICOM’s mission to promote economic integration and ensure sustainable developments for all its members aligns perfectly with our national objectives,” he said, adding “as we embark on this new chapter, we are committed to contributing to and benefiting from the synergies that CARICOM membership offers.
“Regional integration and cooperation are therefore not only beneficial, but also essential for our future development in the Caribbean region. Furthermore, becoming an associate member of CARICOM will strengthen the already close bonds we have with the members and associate members of the Caribbean Community, and it will enable us to contribute more effectively to the collective Caribbean cause.
“In this regard, we bring to CARICOM a unique blend of cultural traditions, economic strengths, and social perspectives that hopefully will enrich the community as a whole.”
He said with regards to functional cooperation, as Curaçao becomes more familiar with the dialogue structures and institutions within CARICOM, “we look forward to participating in CARICOM’s robust network of support across the region and work together with other members on important issues affecting our mutual progress, resilience and sustainability.
“ For instance, economic integration is at the heart of CARICOM’s mission. Our strategic location, natural ports and well-developed physical and professional services infrastructure, can serve as a hub for regional trade. By investing in connectivity and logistics, we can help streamline the movement of goods and services across the Caribbean, boosting economic activity among our nations and creating jobs for all of us. By working together, we can create a more competitive and resilient regional economy.”
He said to demonstrate Curaçao’s firm commitment to regional trade, Curacoa has already started negotiations with the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago and are about to do so with Suriname.
“These negotiations will result in mutually beneficial trade agreements with these member-states. When finalized, these trade agreements will come into effect after our membership of the World Trade Organization is a fact.”
But he said apart from economic integration, Curaçao is particularly committed to support initiatives within CARICOM, that provide the potential for collaboration in areas such as renewable energy, new forms of agriculture, digital technology and telecommunications, human capital development, climate resilience and sustainable development.
“ These policy areas hold immense promise for our future development as small island development states and the collaboration between members of CARICOM. We are convinced that we will all benefit if we pool our resources and expertise together to achieve results that will benefit all of us.
“Moreover, the strategic relationships of Curaçao with key global players such as the European Union through its link to the Netherlands, and its relationships with large South American countries, including Venezuela, Colombia and Surinamme, as well as our relationship with the United States, positions us as a valuable partner within CARICOM. “
Pisas said that these relationships have been cultivated over many years of political, diplomatic and economic engagement, and they offer a wealth of opportunities for CARICOM as we move forward together.”
He said consequently these strategic relationships, as well as the fact that four languages are spoken in Curaçao “provide us with a strong foundation to act as an intermediary or liaison between CARICOM-interests and the interests of these global and regional actors.
“We are therefore perfectly poised to facilitate various kinds of political, economic, social and cultural exchanges, dialogue, collaboration, and mutually beneficial agreements that will benefit all CARICOM member states and associate members.”
Pisas said he firmly believe that CARICOM can effectively advocate the interests of its members as small island development states in global forums such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and other multilateral institutions such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
“This is so because regional cooperation makes it possible to increase the political impact in different international policy areas that touch the interests of small island development states. As a member of the family of small island development states, Curaçao stands ready to support these efforts in any way possible,” he told the signing ceremony.
