THE HAGUE - The Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has decided to transfer the Kingdom Relations file to a separate Directorate-General.
Henk Brons has been appointed as a quartermaster for the new department, which will focus entirely on matters relating to the cooperation of the Netherlands with the other countries of the Kingdom, and the coordination of BES (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba) matters. The Dutch involvement in the reconstruction of St. Maarten will also be directed from the new Directorate-General.
The establishment of an “own” Directorate-General Kingdom Relations is not just a change to the internal organisation at the Ministry of the Interior. The decision is in line with the promise that the Rutte III Cabinet included in the coalition agreement to deal more with the kingdom relations.
Brons is the first candidate to lead the new department. He will for the time being combine it with his function as representative of the Netherlands in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten, but the emphasis of his work lies in The Hague.
Previously, he served as Director General of the Government Information Service at the Ministry of General Affairs, where he was spokesman for Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
