MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath of Curaçao (Economic Development) and Deputy Director-General Guido Landheer of the Netherlands will lead an economic mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Miami, April 17 – 20. More than 20 companies and cities will explore opportunities to do business with the US, Caribbean and Latin-American countries.
Dutch innovators in smart-life sciences, (e)healthcare, and smart cities will meet counterparts during the eMerge Americas conference (April 18-19). The eMerge technology conference provides a unique platform to advance technology, exchange ideas, and launch innovations that match the open and collaborative attitude of the Dutch.
The Kingdom — which consists of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten — will show its innovative power in “Holland Square” at eMerge. The Pavillion will be opened by famous Tech Entrepreneur Manual Medina at 10 a.m. April 18. The conference takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive.
Throughout the conference, Dutch companies, like MosquitNO, Medical Innovations, eCare and Prestop, will present their innovative ideas and products. Professor Dr. Guid Oei from the University of Eindhoven will give a lecture on a R&D training center in Zambia that uses simulation dolls for Obstetrics training that were developed by the Technical University of Eindhoven and produced in Florida. He will lay out how the use of simulation can improve Obstetrics healthcare. Minister Rhuggenaath will present at the eGov summit (part of eMerge summit), and will sit on a panel on Smart Cities with CISCO. Curaçao based tech organisations like Ctex, CITI and CICA are representing the innovative and tech sector of Curaçao.
Faced with the challenges of flooding and managing a lot of activity in small (island) countries, the Kingdom of the Netherlands has the expertise to solve many challenges the world faces today, including sea level rise, transportation, population growth and urbanization. The Kingdom wants to reinforce economic prosperity for future generations, and constantly works to strengthen its powers of innovation and technology by promoting the knowledge economy.
“This economic mission will reinforce our four countries’ commitment to connectivity while strengthening our relationship and unlocking the full potential of cooperation among our European, Caribbean, and Northern and Latin American partners,” said Minister Rhuggenaath.
Much like Miami, the Netherlands and Curacao are gateways to a vast region. With two major ports, highly developed infrastructure, top-notch passenger and cargo airports, and a network of inland waterways, the Netherlands is the connection to Europe. The Netherlands’ strategic location puts 170 million European consumers within reach. It is also the most digitally connected region in Europe. While the Netherlands connects the world to Europe, the Caribbean islands of the Kingdom, as well as Miami, are connections to Latin America and North America. Curaçao is an open-service economy and a pioneer in the field of international financial services. The island of Aruba is a leader in sustainability and clean energy as well as tourism.
For more than 400 years, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States have shared a deep bond founded on shared values and history. In 1609, a Dutch ship, the Half Moon, landed on the shores of what is now Manhattan. The Dutch Caribbean islands and Manhattan even shared Peter Stuyvesant as governor for a while. The US and the Netherlands have been trading with and investing in each other since. In fact, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the first to salute the American flag in 1776, when an American brig Andrew Doria arrived in the harbor of St. Eustatius. And the Netherlands was first country to loan money, five million guilders, to a young America in 1782. Through the centuries, the Netherlands and US economic partnership has created jobs, sound investments, and promising opportunities. And the ties between our two countries keep growing stronger. Our economic partnership has created jobs, sound investments, and promising opportunities. The ties between our two countries keep growing stronger.
The Netherlands is a fixture in the top five largest foreign investors in the US. With its favorable business climate, highly trained workforce, and strategic position in Europe and the Caribbean, the Kingdom of the Netherlands attracts American businesses. The US maintains the leading single-country investor overall for the Netherlands. In short, the US and the Kingdom have a partnership that works.
