WILLEMSTAD – Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas received a delegation from the Council of State of the Kingdom on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at Fort Amsterdam. The Council of State is the highest advisory body and administrative court within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The delegation was led by Thom de Graaf, Vice President of the Council of State, and included Paul Comenencia, member of the Council of State on behalf of Curaçao, Rosa Uylenburg, Chair of the Administrative Jurisdiction Division, Han Polman, member of the Advisory Division, Marja Horstman, Secretary of the Council of State, and Ron van der Veer, Council adviser.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the unsolicited advice issued by the Council of State on October 16, 2024, in the context of 70 years of the Charter of the Kingdom. In that advice, the Council presented recommendations aimed at improving cooperation between the countries within the Kingdom. Curaçao’s political and administrative response to the advice, submitted by the government on September 3, 2025, was also discussed.
In addition, the parties addressed the formal process that the four countries of the Kingdom will follow to arrive at a joint response to the Council of State’s recommendations. Other topics included the establishment of an independent dispute resolution mechanism and efforts to reduce the democratic deficit within the Kingdom structure.
According to Prime Minister Pisas, the visit highlighted the importance of structured and ongoing dialogue about the future of the Kingdom. He reaffirmed that Curaçao remains willing to play an active and constructive role in these discussions. In that context, the Council of State indicated its willingness to support Curaçao’s request to organize the Kingdom Conference later this year, an initiative agreed upon by the governments in 2023, where practical solutions to challenges in Kingdom cooperation can be explored.
Pisas described the meeting as a valuable opportunity to align views on the next steps toward defining principles for future cooperation within the Kingdom. He stressed that Curaçao considers it essential for this process to continue in a transparent manner, with full respect for the autonomy of the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom.