Island coalition takes shape: Bonaire and Wadden Islands work toward joint lobby
KRALENDIJK – The cooperation between Bonaire, Sint-Eustatius, Saba and the five dutch Wadden Islands is taking on increasingly concrete form. A council information letter from the executive council reveals that the so-called E8 cooperation must develop step by step in the coming years into a joint island coalition that can speak with one voice to the Dutch government.
The E8 consists of Bonaire, Sint-Eustatius, Saba, Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. Last year, the administrators of the eight islands signed a letter of intent on Vlieland, in which they agreed to further develop their cooperation. The emphasis is on joint advocacy, knowledge sharing and strengthening mutual ties.
According to the executive council, the working visits of recent years have made one thing clear: despite their different locations, the islands share many comparable challenges. Think of limited scale, implementation capacity, accessibility and liveability. By working together, the islands hope to exert greater influence on policy from The Hague.
The council information letter describes that the cooperation must grow in three phases. The first step is an informal E8 platform, in which administrators and officials share knowledge and meet annually at an E8 conference. Thematic working groups will also be established on topics such as good governance, housing, accessibility and sustainability. Decisions in this phase are made by consensus and are non-binding.
A second phase envisions programmatic cooperation, comparable to a Regional Deal, in which projects are jointly implemented under the leadership of a steering committee and a programme manager. Local executive councils and representative bodies remain responsible for formal decisions on participation and financing.
The most far-reaching step is the formation of a structural "Island Coalition". Under this model, the eight islands cooperate through a covenant or cooperation agreement, possibly supported by a lightweight legal entity. A joint lobbying strategy towards central government is also being considered, supported by a public affairs team and a permanent liaison at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.
The executive council emphasises that the cooperation is still evolving, but sees the E8 as an important instrument for pooling knowledge and working together on issues that affect all island communities. According to the council, the island council will continue to be kept informed of further progress in the coming period.
Read the full council information letter here
