Last weekend, Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Schoof visited Aruba. Together with the Prime Minister of Aruba, he discussed the 100 million florins that the Netherlands will invest in Aruba’s energy transition. This commitment was originally made on May 10–12, 2023, during the first Caribbean Climate and Energy Conference (CCEC), attended by former Minister Jetten, then the Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy.
After the conference, former Minister Jetten informed the Chair of the Dutch House of Representatives that the Netherlands would support all six Caribbean islands in managing their energy systems and that the islands could serve as showcases for other small island nations. The goal of the first CCEC was to explore how the Netherlands could best assist the six Caribbean islands in their energy transition.
“I am very proud that this fund is becoming a reality,” said Wever-Croes. “The conference was organized at the initiative of Aruba and former Minister Jetten. During his 2023 visit, he worked with the countries to outline the fund and indicated that between 100 and 200 million euros would be allocated to Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, and 30 million to Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.”
The fund was originally expected to be included in 2024 but experienced delays. In the 2026 Dutch national budget, presented in September, the funds have now been officially allocated. All is now set for the projects to begin on January 1, 2026.
“It’s very important to emphasize that this fund is being made available without a Kingdom Law,” stated MEP faction leader Evelyn Wever-Croes.
During the Wever-Croes I and II cabinets, significant effort and attention were dedicated to establishing a coherent national approach to energy management — a National Energy Policy. All stakeholders on Aruba have been aligned on the direction the country should take to achieve the energy transition and reduce the use of HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil).
“I am very proud that we have managed to establish a unified national direction, that all stakeholders are on board, and that now, with this financial support, we can continue implementing the National Energy Policy,” concluded Evelyn Wever-Croes.
Press release: MEP