On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Curaçao as you celebrate Curaçao Day.  The longstanding friendship between our two countries is rooted in our shared values and cultural ties.  Our united support for the rule of law and for democracy serves as the foundation for our strong cooperation to disrupt transnational criminal networks, allowing us to prevent 142 metric tons of narcotics – valued at $2.1 billion dollars – from causing devastating consequences to communities in Curacao and in the United States in the last year.  Our cooperation extends to expanding economic opportunity by encouraging economic investment, by supporting Curacao’s entrepreneurs through our exchange programs, and by furthering our joint initiative to create Curacao’s first English Immersion School.

Wishing the people of Curaçao a happy Curaçao Day and looking forward to our continued partnership.