THE HAGUE – Curaçao’s Vice Premier Charles Cooper represented Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas on 9 and 10 December at the 36th edition of the InterExpo 2025 Congress in The Hague. The gathering took place in a symbolic year: 71 years after the signing of the Kingdom Charter and 15 years since Curaçao became a country within the Kingdom. Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, Cooper presented Curaçao’s vision for a modern, mature Kingdom built on equality and shared responsibility.
On 9 December, during the panel discussion “Resilient Economies in a Shared Kingdom,” Minister Cooper outlined the urgent need to strengthen Curaçao’s economic structure. He stressed that economic development is not only a matter of growth, but also of trust, ownership, and the ability of each country to chart its own path. The discussion explored regional opportunities, the development of new sectors, and Curaçao’s potential as a Caribbean hub for trade, energy, and services.
On 10 December, the Vice Premier delivered a plenary address titled “Full Equality as a Compass for a Mature Kingdom.” In this speech, he emphasized that true equality within the Kingdom must be reflected in day-to-day cooperation between the countries. He noted that full equality is both an individual responsibility of each country and a shared goal, one that depends on mutual trust, respect, and stability. Cooper’s remarks provided direction for ongoing discussions about the future of state relations within the Kingdom and underlined Curaçao’s commitment to a partnership model in which countries strengthen—rather than correct—one another.
Through his contributions on behalf of Prime Minister Pisas, Vice Premier Cooper reaffirmed Curaçao’s determination to help shape a stable, mature, and forward-looking Kingdom, and to take on a more active and substantive role in that shared future.