A Nation Engineering Its Future Through Vision, Collaboration, and Global Partnerships

 

The Curaçao International Investment Summit 2025, taking place at the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort Hotel, opened on December 2, 2025, with ambition and a clear message: Curaçao is not waiting for the future; it is building it.

The afternoon began under the warm guidance of Master of Ceremonies Jo-Anne Bakhuis-Da Costa Gomez, who welcomed attendees, set the tone for the event, and ensured everyone was ready for a week focused on bold ideas, purposeful dialogue, and high-impact partnerships. What followed were two powerful keynote speeches that framed Curaçao’s strategic direction for the coming years.

 

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE

REMARKS BY MILES MERCERA, CEO OF THE CURAÇAO INVESTMENT & EXPORT PROMOTION AGENCY (CINEX)

Miles Mercera opened the summit with a candid and inspiring address, acknowledging Curaçao’s challenges while emphasizing that every gap represents an opportunity the nation can solve.

He shared insights into CINEX’s internal dashboard, a living snapshot of investment activity, revealing nearly $995 million USD in active portfolio opportunities, representing both local and international investor interest. While not all projects may materialize immediately, the pipeline signals strong global confidence in Curaçao’s potential.

 

 

Mercera emphasized several key themes:

1. Curaçao is ready for execution

Infrastructure and bureaucratic gaps exist, but none are insurmountable. The country is committed to transparency, accountability, and pragmatic progress.

 

2. Data-driven decision-making matters.

Tracking KPIs, monitoring investment sectors, and aligning with the broader economic vision are essential to measuring real impact, especially job creation.

 

3. Choosing strategic sectors is critical.

While multiple industries hold promise, the digital economy, tourism, oil & gas, and the creative industries, Curaçao must choose where to focus for maximum catalytic growth.

 

4. Digital Economy as a National Accelerator

Mercera reaffirmed CINEX’s belief that the digital economy can create trickle-down benefits across all sectors, accelerating innovation, efficiency, and global competitiveness.

 

5. A Call to Dream Again

The recent football triumph, where Curaçao became the smallest nation ever to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, serves as a powerful reminder of what ambition, unity, and belief can achieve.

 

“We invite you to dream with us again — and to invest with us.” — Miles Mercera

 

A BOLD NATIONAL VISION

SPEECH BY VANESSA TORÉ, DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC COOPERATION, MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Vanessa Toré followed with an equally strong and forward-looking presentation that placed Curaçao’s economic ambitions within a global and historical context.

 

 

1. Curaçao’s Identity as a Global Connector

She highlighted the island’s 400-year history as a crossroads of cultures, trade routes, and innovation, from early desalination pioneers to renewable energy adopters.

 

2. A Small Nation with Global Reach

As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao enjoys:

• Access to EU markets
• The cultural richness of the Caribbean
• Strategic proximity to the Americas

An advantage few small island economies share.

 

3. Economic Momentum

Recent indicators reinforce Curaçao’s upward trajectory:

• 5% economic growth last year
• Tourism is surpassing 1.5 million visitors, injecting $2.7 billion into the economy
• Inflation stabilizing and investor confidence rising

 

4. National Export Strategy

Toré emphasized Curaçao’s strategic shift from reliance on tourism to a diversified, export-driven economy, identifying key sectors for competitiveness:

• Logistics & maritime services
• Digital and IT-enabled innovation
• Creative industries
• Education & talent development
• Medical & wellness tourism
• Blue economy
• High-value tourism

 

5. Curaçao as the Perfect Pilot Market

Thanks to its scale, stability, talent base, and investment-friendly environment, Curaçao offers:

• Low barriers to entry
• A safe, supportive pilot environment
• Quick scalability into nearby markets

 

6. From Vision to Action: What This Week Represents

Toré outlined the four-day roadmap of the summit:

• Day 1: Global positioning & diplomatic cooperation
• Day 2: Sector investment opportunities
• Day 3: Development zones & innovation ecosystems
• Day 4: Investment matchmaking — turning ideas into deals

 

7. Unity, Purpose, and Courage

Drawing inspiration from the island’s football journey, including Curaçao’s hospitality in hosting Haiti’s team, Toré emphasized that global impact is not measured by size, but by conviction, collaboration, and courage.

 

“We are not waiting for our future to happen. We are engineering it — by design.” — Vanessa Toré

 

DIPLOMATIC PANEL DISCUSSION

DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Following the keynote addresses, the summit transitioned into a dynamic panel moderated by Gwido Jansen, Senior Policy Adviser at the Ministry of Economic Development.

The session, titled “Driving Economic Growth, Trade and Investment Through International Cooperation,” brought together diplomatic representatives who shared insights on strengthening ties with Curaçao:

 

Panelists

• Pablo Antonio Rebolledo Schloss – Consul General of Colombia
• Zhang Kaibin – Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Willemstad
• Ramón “Chico” Negrón – Consul General & Chief of Mission, U.S. Consulate General in Curaçao
• Carl Saint Rémy – Consul General of the Republic of Haiti

 

Key Discussion Themes

• Curaçao’s unique strengths:
  • Social stability
  • Educated bilingual workforce
  • Safe location outside the hurricane belt
  • Modern infrastructure and connectivity

 

• Areas for greater cooperation:
  • Boosting tourism flow
  • Renewable energy projects
  • Digital transformation and fintech
  • Cultural and academic exchanges
  • Infrastructure upgrades
  • Strengthening logistics & trade routes

 

• Shared challenges and opportunities:
  • Reducing bureaucracy
  • Accelerating investment approvals
  • Aligning regional strategies for growth
  • Converting diplomatic goodwill into tangible deals

 

The panel concluded with a strong consensus: Curaçao is well-positioned to become a regional hub, but success depends on collaboration, speed, and strategic focus.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

CURAÇAO’S BOLDEST STEP FORWARD

The opening of the Curaçao International Investment Summit 2025 set the stage for the nation’s next chapter in a powerful way.

Across speeches, data, and diplomatic insights, one message resonated: Curaçao is ready, ready to invest, ready to innovate, and ready to lead.

As a small island with global ambition, Curaçao is leveraging its history, talent, and partnerships to engineer a future defined by:

• Economic diversification
• Digital transformation
• Global integration
• Resilient, sustainable growth

 

The summit’s first day was not merely ceremonial — it was a declaration of intent:

Curaçao is not just participating in the global economy. Curaçao is shaping its place within it.

 

Interested in the summit? Visit the website for more information: curacaoinvestmentsummit.com