The Schoof government has announced that it will strengthen the protection of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. This measure is part of the 2024 Defence Memorandum that was presented on Thursday by Minister of Defence, Ruben Brekelmans (VVD) and State Secretary Gijs Pepijn Tuinman (BBB) of Defence.
The paper, ‘Strong, Smart and Together’, emphasizes the need to be better prepared for both physical and hybrid attacks. This takes into account possible military conflicts that could affect both the Netherlands and the Caribbean areas of the Kingdom.
According to the memorandum, the Ministry of Defence should work more closely with civilian organizations and contribute to the security of strategic infrastructure. It also highlights the ongoing instability in Venezuela, which poses a potential threat to the security of the ABC islands. In addition, organized crime and the growing influence of China and Russia in the region play an important role in the security challenges of the Caribbean.
To better manage these risks, the Caribbean Militia (CarMil) is being strengthened. Air capacity will be increased, with more flight hours for air inspections. This will allow the airspace to be better defended and improve cooperation with the United States and other countries within the Kingdom.
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