Cartagena – Special BES Representative, Edison Rijna, led the Dutch delegation at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which attended the 30th Council of Ministers of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in Cartagena on behalf of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. The Kingdom is – like the countries Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten – an associate member of the ACS. The Netherlands is a member on behalf of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
Although the role as an associate member is limited (the Kingdom, for example, has no voting rights), membership has strategic value. Participation makes it possible to signal regional developments early, maintain relationships with neighboring countries, and profile the Kingdom as a concerned partner in the Caribbean for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
“During the summit, several themes were discussed that also concern the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, such as climate change, sustainability, tourism, and the need for better connectivity in the region. The potentially adverse effects of the changed trade policy of the United States and the importance of regional cooperation were also discussed,” said BES Representative Rijna.
“We mainly seized our presence to network on the margins of the plenary sessions. We reinforced existing ties and also established new contacts with delegations from countries that are interesting parties for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba in the fields of tourism and trade. Therefore, it was valuable to be present here as a Kingdom.”
The ACS consists of 25 member states, ranging from small island states to larger Latin American countries such as Mexico and Colombia, and also has 10 associate members. Panama will hold the presidency of the Council of Ministers of the ACS during the period 2025-2026.
