GREAT BAY--Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Dr. Luc Mercelina has provided an update on key diplomatic, governance, and security engagements undertaken during an official working visit to the Netherlands from December 6 to 13, 2025.
During the mission, the Prime Minister pursued a new initiative to strengthen Kingdom cooperation through a proposed Kingdom Summit, and held a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Rob Jetten, the presumptive incoming Prime Minister of the Netherlands, during the Dutch Cabinet formation process. Dr. Mercelina said he used the engagement to ensure that St. Maarten and the wider Caribbean part of the Kingdom are considered early in the formation of the new Dutch government, rather than as an afterthought. He indicated that the discussion deliberately created space not only for St. Maarten, but also for Curaçao, Aruba, and the Caribbean Netherlands, emphasizing shared realities such as economic resilience, climate vulnerability, energy security, equitable access to resources, and persistent pressures in health care and education across small island communities.
Following his participation in the 36th Inter-Kingdom Relations Congress, where he delivered a presentation on constitutional autonomy, Dr. Mercelina said he will seek support from the Council of Ministers and Parliament to invite the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curaçao to a Kingdom Summit aimed at developing a new, forward-looking agenda for Kingdom relations. He also signaled his intention to pursue a pathway toward regular, yearly Kingdom Summits to improve coordination and outcomes across the Kingdom.
Regional security developments were also discussed, including recent United States military activity in the Caribbean. The Prime Minister said it was confirmed during his engagements that the Kingdom is not involved in U.S. operations, and that such activities are taking place outside the Kingdom’s territorial waters. He further stated that, at this time, there is no immediate and direct threat to St. Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, or the wider Kingdom, while monitoring continues in relation to tensions involving the United States and Venezuela. The Prime Minister also participated in a regular Kingdom security briefing with Kingdom partners and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, where ongoing regional developments were reviewed.
In addition to security and diplomatic engagements, Dr. Mercelina reported progress on governance and institutional strengthening through the signing of an official partnership with VNG International, the international arm of the Association of Dutch Municipalities. He explained that the partnership is intended to expand access to technical expertise, institutional support, and capacity building, while unlocking new funding and cooperation opportunities for St. Maarten. Areas identified for cooperation include mental health services, training of medical professionals, civil service human resource development, preparation for the opening of the new hospital, and a transition toward greener and more sustainable energy.
Further updates will be provided as follow-up actions progress across the diplomatic, security, and institutional tracks.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/pm-mercelina-pushes-kingdom-summit-raises-security-concerns-dduring-netherlands-mission
