Innovation for Sustainable Development of Curaçao

1. Kick-off training seminar Brussels, 4-6 November 2014 Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Fiona Curie MSc Ministry of Economic Development Policy Advisor Economic Development & Innovation

2. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Program - Curaçao - Economic Development - Economic Sectors - Sustainable Development - Innovation in Curaçao - Opportunities for Innovation

3. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao • Curaçao Country: One of the 4 countries within the Dutch Kingdom Population: 154,004 (in 2013) Surface: 444 sq km EEZ: 12-200 nm

4. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Central Bureau of Statistics Economic Development: GDP

5. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Central Bureau of Statistics Economic Development: Employment & Unemployment

6. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Employment & Contribution to GDP in 2007 Economic Significance of Curaçao 2009 Economic Sectors: Diagnosis

7. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Value Added by industry Central Bureau of Statistics Economic Sectors

8. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Sustainable Development “Improving the quality of life of present population without compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs” United Nations commission on the Environment and Development (UNCED) “First, there is the realization that economic growth alone is not enough: the economic, social and environmental aspects of any action are interconnected. Considering only one of these at a time leads to errors in judgment and “unsustainable” outcomes. ….. Next, the interconnected, or interdependent, nature of sustainable development also calls for going beyond borders – whether they be geographical or institutional – in order to co-ordinate strategies and make good decisions. ….. Finally, thinking about human actions has had to undergo a temporal shift: put simply, we should consider the impact of a given choice beyond the short term. “ Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

9. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao • Harnessing ecosystems-based services provided by natural resources • Waste management • Enabling investment climate • Infrastructure (incl. Transp. & Communication) • Market competition • Financial market development • Technological Readiness • Business Sophistication (interconnected & efficient) • Innovation • Education • Labor • Welfare & Health • Equality • Safety • Budget • Balance of payments • Price stability Sustainable Development

10. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao The report Strategies for Sustainable Long Term Economic Development in Curaçao (ThierryApotheker Consulting SAS, May 2013) commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Development, suggests the need to enhance the competitiveness of Curaçao, while converting negative factors into opportunities. The report identifies specific growth opportunities and proposes concrete recommendations in ashort-term and medium-term action plan to expand the economy, ensuring a healthy investment climate, an innovative, dynamic and sustainable economy that creates jobs. The action plan focuses on stimulating and advancing the following policies and spearhead sectors on short term and medium term:

11. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Main Stakeholders in Innovation

12. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao • Main Stakeholders in Innovation: current situation Government as accelerator Economy • Support to Curacao Innovation & Technology Institute (CITI) to promote and facilitate innovation • Support to Junior Achievement program in secondary education and Business Startup program at the University • Pilot incentive Business Boost for SME’s providing business training, coaching and funds to invest in technology with focus on innovation, technology and export • Business Census to determine scope of businesses and needs assessment • Preparing the establishment of Curaçao Development Finance Institute (CDFI) which will provide for institutional capacity and structure to meet the current demand of sustainable development. • Introduction of Curaçao Investment Development Foundation (CINEX) • Innovation Policy for Curaçao in development • Bureau of Intellectual Property in place. Education • A framework policy for Science and Research has been developed.

13. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao • Main Stakeholders in Innovation: current situation Knowledge institutions as nurseries • University of Curaçao and other higher education institutions including medical schools Curaçao has science and research institutions in several knowledge areas: • Public health (VIC, Fundashonprevenshon, NASHKO, Fundashon Pro Bista) • Nature and Environment (CARMABI) • Archeology and Anthropology (NAAM) • Maritime (STIMACUR) • Social Economic (CBS, CBCS) • Vocational Education and Business Sector (KBB) • Legal research (Forensic Services Caribbean) Curaçao has also worked with TNO regarding technological and innovative scientific research • Information and documentation (Libraries and National Archive) Science and Research has to become predominant in government (separate research departments per Ministry), education, private sector and the community. There is a need to periodically determine strategic knowledge areas, invest and monitor execution.

14. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao • Private Sector as motor The private sector is looking for new ways to conduct business: • START UP CURACAO: a platform to help Entrepreneurs on their way to success through co-working space, learning, investor and events platforms. Export: • CuraçaoEcocity Project N.V. : touristic attraction and new and improved Aloë products produced locally) • Right to the door concept of online shopping and delivery by Cpost International Sustainability: • CuraçaoBusiness Council for Sustainable Development Recycling: • Green Force Curaçao ICT: • CuraçaoInformation and Communication Association (CICA)

15. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao • Opportunities for Innovation: (in development)

16. Innovation for sustainable development of Curaçao Opportunities for Innovation: Examples Curaçao Airport Holding wants to build an ECO Park to serve a knowledge center for other upcoming ecological technologies and is attracting investors for the Green Airport City Development which will consist of: Seawater Air Conditioning (SWAC)It brings up cold water from the deep ocean to cool the airport facilities. The cold seawater will be used to provide the buildings in the Airport City with cheap and green air conditioning. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Itis a heat engine designed to transform the thermal energy into electricity. Based on the SWAC system, cold seawater will be provided to the OTEC plant which will convert the differences in temperature into electricity. Waste to Energy a machine which can convert waste into biofuel and CO2. All waste of the airport will be converted into biofuel. The CO2 is residual waste which is a key element for the algea project that is still to be developed. 

17. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao Green Airport City Development

18. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao • Opportunities for Innovation: Examples • Caribbean Marine Biological Institute (CARMABI) the largest field station in the Southern Caribbean • New Water-side building with lab facilities and dormitories • Hosts approximately 200 scientist for research purposes and students of Universities (Netherlands, Surinam and US) for courses related to coral reef ecology per year • Publishes scientific publications

19. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao • Opportunities for Innovation: ICT • Curaçao has a highly competitive telecommunications market with a number 1 position in download speeds throughout Latin-America and the Caribbean • The presence of the AMS-IX Caribbean on the island offers exchange points and direct peering opportunities for ISP’s, telecommunication carriers, content providers, web-hosters and the other service providers (Google, VeriSign and Akamai already installed delivering content locally at blazing speeds and low latency) • Curaçao is one of the best connected data-hubs in the region with several redundant submarine fibre-optic cables landing on the island providing high volume Terabits of international capacity • Hosting, co-location and cloud services offer the most advanced and first Uptime Institute Certified Tier-IV date center in Latin America and the Caribbean • Cyber Emergency Response Team assists in maintaining a safe digital world

20. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao Opportunities for innovation are present in Cooperation Building on strengths Improving competiveness And stimulating sustainability

21. Innovation for sustainabledevelopmentof Curaçao Questions?