Prime Minister Jetten visits Sint Maarten, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Bonaire, Aruba and Curaçao for the first time

Prime Minister Jetten visits the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 8 to 14 May 2026. It will be the first time Jetten visits the islands as prime minister.

What is Jetten going to do? And what is Jetten's Caribbean policy?

“The visit is taking place at the very start of the cabinet’s term, reflecting the importance the government attaches to strong and close cooperation within the Kingdom,” de Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst (RVD), the Government Information Service said in a statement.

Meetings with all leaders

During the trip, the prime minister will meet with the prime ministers, governors and members of parliament (Staten) of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, as well as with the governors and island councils of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Key topics in these talks include resilience, security and sustainability. Jetten will also meet with residents, entrepreneurs and civil society organisations.

Last week, the Jetten cabinet wrote to the House of Representatives that it aims to improve relations between the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten through a new Kingdom Conference. Improving governance on the islands, tackling poverty and strengthening local economies were presented as key policy priorities.

Geopolitical situation

Jetten will also address rising tensions in the Caribbean region. In January, the United States carried out an incursion into neighbouring Venezuela and arrested Maduro. On the morning of 14 May, Jetten will begin the day with a briefing on the geopolitical situation in the Caribbean at Parera naval base.

Programme

The programme begins in Sint Maarten and then continues to Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire, with visits focusing on areas such as healthcare, education, heritage, the economy and the environment. In Aruba and Curaçao, the agenda includes nature conservation, neighbourhood development, energy and geopolitical developments. The visit will conclude on 14 May in Curaçao.

How the Dutch Ministry of Defence is pulling back on public information — as government orders removal of sensitive infrastructure data

The Dutch Ministry of Defence is increasingly tightening its grip on publicly available information, as rising geopolitical tensions fuel concerns that even fragmented, open-source data can expose vulnerable military infrastructure, according to insiders in the MoD.

Questions in Dutch parliament over role of Dutch companies in Kushner-Trump resort in Albania

Questions have been raised in the Dutch House of Representatives about the possible involvement of Dutch shell companies in a corruption investigation surrounding a luxury resort in Albania linked to the US president’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.

Dutch PM Jetten expected to apologise to Moluccan community, who were forced to leave Indonesia after World War II

The Dutch cabinet is expected to issue formal apologies to the Moluccan community in the near future for the way they were treated by the Dutch state.

Dutch cabinet plans delegation visit to India about Insiya case

The Dutch government has stepped up diplomatic efforts in the long-running case of the abducted girl Insiya, confirming plans to send a broad delegation to India to advance discussions.