THE HAGUE - Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles Emily de Jongh-Elhage has been appointed to the new advisory board of the Netherlands Society of the United Nations. Former Prime Minister of Aruba Mike Eman and Sint Maarten former Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams have also been asked to join the council, which has the abbreviation UVVN.
The organization will receive a new advisory board on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. Its task is to advise on the UN's sustainable goals, as a contribution to communicating with the citizens of the Kingdom of the Netherlands about the work of the UN.
The council wants to shift its focus from a Dutch organization to a Kingdom organization. That is why it has been decided to invite former prime ministers of the Caribbean countries of the Kingdom to sit on the advisory council.
The president of the UVVN, Simone Filippini: “Our Advisory Board is of vital importance to us. In this way we can increase our knowledge and strengthen the discussion between politicians and citizens. We are concerned with deepening the interest in and importance of peace. In this way we want to contribute to the development of socio-economic opportunities and rights for everyone within and outside the Netherlands."
"No one should depend on anyone else to solve their own problems. Everyone should contribute. After all, we only have ten years left to achieve the UN's sustainable goals, the SDGs," said Filippini
Filippini: “These people have a lot to contribute, precisely because they come from another part of the world. We are pleased that they have enthusiastically received our invitation. "Eman sees opportunities above all:" The world, our countries and people urgently need common goals, to stand behind us together in the fight against the corona virus. "
"Also, we can only tackle global challenges together. We need goals and solidarity. Only together can we achieve sustainable improvements. The UN offers us a unique and important platform. The countries within the Kingdom also need common goals, and a vision which explicitly takes everyone's interests into account, but at the same time pays attention to what unites us. This platform gives us the opportunity to break free from historical frustrations and opens up possibilities for more cohesion within the Kingdom," says Filippini.