Utrecht Mayor and Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) President Sharon Dijksma has confirmed that the City of Utrecht and VNG are willing to provide technical support to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao as they explore a regional approach to waste management. She made the statement following a meeting with Prime Minister Mike Eman and his delegation during their working visit to the Netherlands.
The initiative builds on discussions held during Dijksma’s visit to Aruba in May, when she proposed cooperation among the three islands. Eman said they face similar waste management challenges and that a joint approach could provide the volume needed to process waste more efficiently and sustainably.
One proposal is for one of the islands to serve as a central hub for collecting and processing waste from all three. This could create opportunities for recycling, developing a circular economy and turning waste into new products. Modern technologies could also be explored to process non-recyclable materials, potentially generating energy.
Aruba has since taken steps to explore the proposal. Eman said his government has consulted stakeholders in Aruba, including Serlimar and EcoTech, and held discussions with representatives in Bonaire and Curaçao. He also visited HVC, a waste management company in Alkmaar, where his delegation toured a facility that processes waste and produces energy.
“We took this request seriously. We did our homework, visited Bonaire and Curaçao, and spoke with stakeholders in Aruba,” Eman said.
Dijksma welcomed Aruba’s progress and described the meeting as positive. Drawing on her visits to the Caribbean, she noted that improperly discarded waste affects communities and can harm both the environment and residents’ quality of life.
She stressed that regional cooperation is important because some waste processing methods require sufficient volumes of material to be economically viable. A shared system could help the islands achieve the scale needed to make such solutions practical.
VNG is also willing to advise on the organization and governance of public services. Dijksma cited the organization’s experience in Sint Maarten, where it has provided guidance on governance and the responsibilities involved in establishing effective services.
Financing will also be a key consideration. Dijksma emphasized the need to develop a system that does not place an excessive financial burden on lower-income households and clearly defines the responsibilities of governments and residents. She confirmed that VNG is prepared to share its knowledge and experience with Aruba and the other islands.
The next step is to explore whether the discussions can advance at the upcoming Kingdom Summit in Sint Maarten, which brings together the countries and islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Eman said the initiative reflects his broader vision of strengthening cooperation within the Kingdom through concrete projects that benefit the region. He also pointed to cooperation with Wageningen University & Research, which is exploring the possibility of establishing a permanent presence in Aruba. This could strengthen research, create opportunities for young professionals and support knowledge-sharing with other Caribbean countries.
