Stronger Partnerships for Stronger Results: UN and Sint Maarten Advance Shared Development Agenda

Strengthening national development delivery and deepening cooperation between the Government of Sint Maarten and the United Nations were at the centre of a recent strategic mission by the UN Office of the Resident Coordinator Office for the Dutch Caribbean. 

Through high-level engagements with Ministers, Secretaries-General of government departments, national institutions and UN agencies, the mission advanced shared priorities for implementation capacity, statistical reform, access to development finance and the acceleration of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

From 19–21 November 2025, the RCO team—led by Head of Office Ms. Tracey Hutchinson, with Economist, Arslan Chaudhary and Partnerships and Development Finance Officer, Mark Thomas —held a series of targeted meetings across Government and the UN system to support Sint Maarten in shaping the next phase of UN cooperation through the Common Country Analysis, the Country Implementation Plan and the next MSDCF.

The visit created opportunities to reviewing progress on the UN' Country Implementation Plan for Sint Maarten, support the drafting of the Common Country Analysis, formally present the UN 2024 Annual Results Report and deepen cooperation with Government ministries, partners and national institutions.

Strategic meetings across Government

Over the three-day mission, the RCO team met with senior leadership from across the public sector, including:

Social Economic Council (SER)

Discussions focused on economic diversification, social pressures, governance, migration dynamics, and strengthening national statistics. 

UNOPS and UNODC on the Point Blanche Detention Sector Reform Programme

The Minister of Justice, together with UNOPS and UNODC, confirmed a January 2026 groundbreaking ceremony for the Point Blanche Detention Sector Reform center, together with the Minister of Justice. The programme aims to double national detention capacity and introduce modern rehabilitation, skills training and TVET models.

Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK)

The UN and BAK discussed SDG implementation and access to development financing.  BAK welcomed the establishment of a UN-Government Joint National Steering Committee.

Secretaries-General of three ministries:

• Public Health, Social Development and Labour – on health systems, statistics reform, labour legislation ageing, and social protection.
• Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Statistics – on UN technical support for FDI, labour force data and the CCA.
• General Affairs – on cross-government SDG coordination and data for policy reforms.