Dominican Republic/PHILIPSBURG:--- After nearly three years of discussions between the Dominican Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the long-awaited Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two states was signed yesterday Monday by Prime Minister William Marlin on behalf of Sint Maarten and Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Vargas on behalf of the Dominican Republic. Marlin, in his address, saluted President Danilo Medina whose initiative it was in 2014 to initiate this MOU. The Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation covers a number of areas including commerce, innovation, education and health , regional security, tourism, and transshipment. The MOU also makes provisions for technical and political consultations, the idea of which is to ensure that momentum is kept during the work that will be ongoing in developing the necessary protocols that will give content to the MOU. Signing on behalf of Curacao was the Minister for Economic Development Eugene Rhuggenaat And Dutch Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Marijke van Druinen-Littel on behalf of the Netherlands and Aruba.
Prime Minister Marlin was accompanied by Patrice Gumbs Jr, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department of Foreign Relations. Gumbs noted that the relationship with the Dominican Republic and the Kingdom is multifaceted. Alongside the strong and well documented economic links with both the European and Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, including the 1856 Treaty on Friendship, Trade, and Navigation, there is an even stronger cultural link, rooted in two centuries of continuous and documented migration between the two states and particularly the islands. The MOU, therefore, has brought us here today together united by a strong filial and cultural bond and a willingness to find mutually beneficial ways to continue to build strong resilient partnerships.
In spirit of this, Prime Minister held discussions with representatives from companies and institutions in the Dominican Republic including the Dutch Chamber and of Commerce, Tropical Shipping, and Pawa. During this meeting, Prime Minister discussed the need for more direct sourcing of products, particularly food products, from the Dominican Republic as a way of reducing costs and having these savings transferred to the local consumer on Sint Maarten. Also in his discussions, the potential of Sint Maarten as a transshipment and transportation hub for our subregion was outlined with these companies, in spirit on the provisions made for such dialogue in the MOU.
The Prime Minister in his speech following the signing ceremony stated that this agreement represents more than what is written, transcends political desire, and ultimately moves us towards our common goal, the unification of the Greater Caribbean. In closing Marlin said that he hoped that this agreement would stand as a testament to the strong commitment of both the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic to advance and underscore the enduring friendship for the benefit of both our two states and our people.
