Photo:Consul General Belon, Charge d’ Affairs Nolan, Prime Minister Hodge, and Foreign Affairs Director Kibbelaar.
U.S. Embassy The Hague Chargé d ‘Affairs Edwin Nolan led a U.S. delegation on an, January 28-31, 2013, official visit to Curacao. Joining him was U.S. Defense Attaché CAPT Dan Braswell. The trip served to strengthen the bilateral relationship and to highlight U.S. interests in the region.
Chargé Nolan and U.S. Consul General Valerie Belon met with Acting Governor Adele Van der Pluijm-Vrede, Prime Minister Daniel Hodge, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Steven Martina, Minister of Justice Nelson Navarro, Foreign Affairs Director Arthur Kibbelaar and Chairman of Parliament Mike Franco to discuss bilateral issues and other topics of common interest.
The U.S. delegation also met with the President of Chamber of Commerce, business leaders, and the diplomatic corps. The Chargé, Consul General and CAPT Braswell joined Dutch military officials at the Parera naval base in discussions of mutual interests and cooperation in the region. They also received briefings at the U.S. Air Force’s Forward Operating Location. A visit to the Kurà Hulanda museum provided the delegation with a historic overview of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the ways in which our shared African cultural heritage has influenced Curaçaoan and Caribbean societies.