King Willem-Alexander apologizes for the Dutch role in slavery

The mini-conference’s final declaration provided for the three islands to become public bodies within the Netherlands, while Curaçao and Sint Maarten would become countries in the Kingdom. The...

The parties agreed on measures and criteria for Curaçao and Sint Maarten to become countries within the Kingdom. The settlement followed referenda and negotiations, while leaving the distribution of...

Voters approved the proposed process for becoming an autonomous country within the Kingdom as the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved. The result reflected a negotiated status change, not...

The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist. Curaçao and Sint Maarten became countries within the Kingdom, while Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba became public bodies within the Netherlands. The...

Rutte apologized on behalf of the government for the Dutch state’s role in slavery and acknowledged its continuing effects. Activists and Caribbean representatives welcomed the recognition while...

The Council of State supported a proposal to let descendants change surnames imposed during slavery without the usual fees. The policy recognizes that names can carry the continuing imprint of...

The government informed Parliament about measures following its apology, including funding for social initiatives, educational work, research, and a free surname-change scheme. Descendant...

At its thirty-eighth inter-sessional meeting, CARICOM heads of government decided to grant Curaçao associate-member status. The step widened Curaçao’s regional participation, while the Kingdom’s...

Dutch nationals living on the Caribbean Netherlands islands were eligible to vote in the Dutch European Parliament election. Their voting rights followed a longer struggle over equal political...

A parliamentary letter set out the coming grant programs for community initiatives in the European Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The funding was framed as follow-up to the...