THE HAGUE--The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Dispute Regulation for the Kingdom, the situation in Venezuela and the consequences for the Dutch Caribbean are three main topics that will be discussed during next week’s Inter-Parliamentary Consultation for the Kingdom IPKO.
The IPKO will take place in The Hague from Tuesday, May 29, to Friday, June 1, with Parliamentary delegations of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten as participants. Under the chairmanship of Chairman of the Second Chamber’s Permanent Committee Alexander Pechtold, the delegations will discuss common themes.
The IPKO will open on Tuesday morning in a plenary session at the First Chamber, the Senate. Addressing the delegations will be Senate Chairwoman Ankie Broekers-Knol, after which the heads of the delegations will speak.
After the opening, the delegations will talk about the recent developments in the individual countries. The situation in St. Maarten and the reconstruction will be a focus of attention. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their status of implementation in the countries will be discussed. The SDGs are the objectives drafted by the United Nations (UN) for sustainable development worldwide.
On Wednesday, the delegations will talk about the Dispute Regulation, which has been a source of discussion within the Kingdom for many years. Also on the agenda that day are the political situation and economic crisis in Venezuela and the consequences for the islands.
As part of the theme “Sustainable economic development,” the delegations will visit Wageningen University and a waste-processing company on Thursday.
IPKO ends on Friday with the signing of the agreements list and a joint press conference by the leaders of the four delegations.
The St. Maarten delegation is headed by President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams of United Democrats (UD). Members of Parliament (MPs) Silveria Jacobs of National Alliance (NA), Wycliffe Smith of St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) and Roland Brison of United St. Maarten Party (US Party) are part of the delegation.
