THE HAGUE – Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and St. Maarten have reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together in strengthening the rule of law and promoting good governance across the Kingdom. The governments agreed that deeper cooperation is essential to fight undermining crime, corruption, and fraud while fostering integrity. 

The announcement came in a joint letter sent today to the Dutch House of Representatives by Minister of Justice and Security Foort van Oosten and State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eddie van Marum. The letter responds to a parliamentary motion calling for stronger action against fraud, organized crime, and corruption. 

Heightened risks in the Caribbean 

Undermining crime—where the legal and illegal worlds intersect—is a growing concern within the Kingdom. The Caribbean territories, due to their strategic position near Latin and North America and trade routes to Europe, are particularly vulnerable to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and migrant smuggling. 

The small scale of the islands further increases the risk of conflicts of interest, making robust safeguards even more urgent. 

Joint responsibility 

State Secretary Van Marum stressed that the joint approach directly impacts the well-being of Kingdom citizens. 

“The governments within the Kingdom share the responsibility to tackle these forms of undermining crime,” Van Marum said. “They weaken public administration and undermine citizens’ trust in a fair and honest government. All citizens of the Kingdom must be able to rely on a strong and resilient rule of law.” 

With all four countries now aligned, the initiative aims to strengthen institutions, bolster law enforcement cooperation, and safeguard democratic integrity across the Kingdom of the Netherlands.