Aruba – Staatssecretaris van Koninkrijksrelaties Eric van der Burg is op Aruba begonnen aan het benedenwindse deel van zijn kennismakingsbezoek aan de eilanden.
Voor aanvang van het officiële programma bezocht hij de Ayo rotsformatie. “Een indrukwekkende plek die de geschiedenis van het eiland ademt”, aldus Van der Burg op X. Deze post – met bijbehorende foto – kwam hem zoals bij al zijn berichten over zijn bezoek aan het Caribische deel van het Koninkrijk op scherpe verwijten te staan van Europese Nederlanders die vinden dat hij een snoepreisje maakt op kosten van de belastingbetaler. Het weerhoudt de staatssecretaris er niet van verslag te doen.
“Vandaag bezocht ik de binnenstad van San Nicolas en keek ik uit over de raffinaderij. Jarenlang was die het economische hart van Aruba, maar ook een bron van vervuiling en overlast. Nog altijd maakt de raffinaderij veel los bij inwoners van San Nicolas. Daarna kregen we presentaties van CEDE Aruba en Coconut Collective over leefbare wijken en de ontwikkeling van San Nicolas.
Tijdens het kennismakingsdiner van de Landen en Gebieden Overzee (LGO) spraken we over onze gezamenlijke inzet richting de Europese Commissie. De LGO zijn gebieden met een bijzondere band met EU-lidstaten, zoals Saba, Sint Eustatius, Bonaire, Aruba, Curaçao en Sint Maarten. Tijdens het forum sprak ik samen met de Nederlands-Caribische LGO, de Franse LGO en Eurocommissaris Jozef Sikela over prioriteiten in de samenwerking met de EU, zoals digitale en maritieme connectiviteit en de energietransitie.
Vanmiddag was ik samen met premier Mike Eman, Eurocommissaris Jozef Sikela en minister Gerlien Croes bij de opening van de Directie Koninkrijksrelaties en Europese Unie van Aruba. Een mooie stap om de samenwerking binnen het Koninkrijk en met Europa verder te versterken.
Vandaag sprak ik op het LGO Forum over de kansen en uitdagingen in het Caribisch deel van het Koninkrijk. O.a. goede digitale verbindingen en sterke havens zijn belangrijker dan ooit. Tegelijkertijd hebben veel gebieden te maken met verouderde infrastructuur en snelle groei. Zoals gezaghebber Soliano van Bonaire mooi zei: zie de LGO niet als kleine gebieden met behoeften, maar als kleine gebieden met strategische waarde. Daarom is het belangrijk dat EU-programma’s niet alleen op papier toegankelijk zijn, maar ook echt aansluiten bij wat nodig is. Door eerder samen op te trekken en kennis te delen kunnen we meer bereiken.
Toespraak staatssecretaris Van der Burg bij OCT-EU forum
Ladies and gentlemen,
It’s good to be here together on the beautiful island Aruba, one of the four countries of our Kingdom, next to Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands. Many thanks to Aruba for organizing this OCT’s-EU Forum so well. I am the minister of Kingdom Relations in the Netherlands. So I am a guest here, just like most of you. Aruba has its own government. I am here as a partner. And that is how this works between all of us: countries, territories and the European Union. We meet here as equals.
Commissioner Sikela, colleagues from across the islands and the EU – it’s a pleasure to be here with you. But let me be a bit blunt. If we want this cooperation to work, we also have to be realistic: we are equal in status, but not always in executive capacity. A country of eighteen million people operates very differently from an island of one hundred thousand. And an island of one hundred thousand operates differently from an island of two thousand.
Sometimes smaller territories are closer to people, understand their region better and can act more quickly. But sometimes larger countries have more resources and scale to get things done. And that tension between equal status and different realities – that is exactly what this forum should be about. We need to be honest about where others are stronger than we are, and use that strength. To help each other and together achieve better results. In other words: we must work together without boundaries.
I believe we should be ambitious in what we want to achieve. Especially in the current geopolitical situation. We should aim for islands that produce more of their own energy. And more of their own food. And for better connections like direct subsea cables linking islands to Europe, strengthening our resilience.
For the Dutch OCT’s there are many challenges that could profit from cooperation with the European Union. Let me provide you with a few examples:
Aruba: the development of the refinery terrain and waste management
Bonaire: would benefit from a new container terminal for logistics and food security
Curaçao: improvement of the digital connectivity by a new subsea transatlantic cable
Saba: development of the new harbor that is hurricane proof
Statia: improving the breakwater in the harbor to become more resilient
Sint Maarten: maritime connectivity and food security
These are all good projects that deserve EU support and that are key for development of the OCT’s. But if we want to get there, we should also talk about what’s holding us back. Across the European Union, there are many programs that offer opportunities in fields like energy transition, connectivity and digital infrastructure.
And on paper, we all have access. But in practice, it is often much harder for smaller territories to benefit. Right now, the message is often: “You are eligible, submit a proposal.” But small territories must compete with large European consortia, backed by teams of consultants. And we all know who is more likely to succeed in that situation. We all have good intentions. But the reality is: many systems in the EU were not designed with smaller islands and territories in mind. They assume a level of executive capacity that simply isn’t available everywhere.
In the Netherlands I am responsible for making the government more effective. And I see this every day: systems that look good on paper, but don’t always reach the people they were meant for. This is where we need to step up our cooperation. So how do we make sure more EU programs actually work for all territories and islands? Not by just saying, “you are eligible”, but by rolling up our sleeves.
Getting involved earlier. Sitting down together – and bringing the right expertise to the table from the start. So that our partners don’t receive feedback when it’s too late. We have to find a way to make sure that we bridge the gap between EU preferences and OCTs needs. We need to make use of each other’s strengths.
And this is not a one-way street. Smaller territories also bring knowledge that others don’t have. They know their region. They have networks and relationships that can help European countries in areas like trade and regional cooperation.
And I would like to quote mr. Soliano, island governor of Bonaire on this: see the OCT’s not as small islands with needs, but as small islands with strategic value. In the end, what matters is not our equal status on paper, but how we use our different capacities. to deliver results for the people we represent.
Thank you.