This is a Dutch island located in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital city is the port of Kralendijk, on the western part of the island. The country, Aruba, and Curaçao form the ABC islands, some kilometers from Venezuela. Unlike most parts of the Caribbean region, the ABC islands are outside Hurricane Alley. This island has an arid climate attracting millions of visitors seeking warm, sunny weather annually. It is a popular snorkeling and scuba diving destination amongst tourists. It has a population of 20,104 residents, with a land area of 288 square kilometers. Being a constituent nation belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and bordered by Curaçao, it became a territory under the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2010, after the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. The territory has grown in terms of size and economy. The economy is majorly dependent on tourism, thanks to its warm, dry climate and natural environment. The territory is home to scuba divers and snorkelers, as the surrounding coral reefs are well-preserved and can be accessed from the shore. It is widely known in the diving community as one of the best shore diving destinations in the world.
If you are interested in knowing about the diplomatic relations of this territory, this article provides information on the foreign diplomatic relations of Bonaire and other bilateral relations.
About the Island of Bonaire
It was formerly a part of the defunct Netherlands Antilles; however, it separated from the territory and became a special municipality under the Netherlands. As a member of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT), it is not officially part of the EU, though it may receive aid from the European Development Fund. As a territory under the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Netherlands is responsible for managing the foreign affairs of the island with other countries, including Canada. It has formed diplomatic relations with a few countries across the world. It is also tasked with maintaining all multilateral relations the island has with other Caribbean nations ensuring its growth through several foreign partnerships and investments.
Countries with diplomatic relations
It has diplomatic relations with a few countries across the world including the Americas. The US and the island have agreements that prevent the illegal migration of citizens into the country and the crime rate. They have trade partnerships with each other which are aimed at controlling the import and export between the US and the country. Tourism is quite substantial to the economy. Tons of tourists visit the island; thus, it is the largest source of revenue for the island. The treaty between Canada and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on administrative assistance in Customs Matters applies to both nations as well as the island. The Embassy of Canada to the Kingdom is in The Hague. While the Embassy of the Kingdom in Ottawa and its Consulates in Toronto and Vancouver represent the island. Information on aid to Canadian residents and Canada-Aruba trade and investments is available at the Embassy of Canada located in Bogota, Colombia. Its Honorary Consul in Curaçao also manages Canadian consular interests here.
Partnerships and organizations of the Country
In the quest to have effective responses to both old and emerging global challenges, this island works closely with multilateral institutions, such as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Pacific Alliance, the United Nations (UN), Multilateral Organisation Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Open Government Partnership (OGP), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), etc.
