[{"bbox": [97, 153, 1132, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "digital solutions for energy management, smart mobility, sustainable supply chains, and circular economy practices."}, {"bbox": [97, 219, 1132, 349], "category": "Text", "text": "The digital policy is well-perceived and the government of Aruba is in contact with the Dutch government for technical support. There are always associated risks for such complex and crosscutting developments as E-government. The main challenges for the Aruba eGov programme are not unique and were faced by other countries and territories. Based on these experiences, the challenges are considered not to be technical, but in the following domains:"}, {"bbox": [135, 364, 1132, 417], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Administrative issues that require coordination. This issue has already been addressed with the creation of the Innovation Department which is fully responsible for the overall eGov programme success;"}, {"bbox": [135, 418, 1063, 444], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Judicial issues to ensure that data are transferred while adhering to privacy and security demands;"}, {"bbox": [135, 445, 1132, 496], "category": "List-item", "text": "* The necessity of capacity building and training programmes for the government staff, citizens and businesses (digital divide issues);"}, {"bbox": [135, 497, 1132, 550], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Implementation of the *Connexion* platform which integrates digital platforms that are currently operating independently of each other."}, {"bbox": [97, 562, 1132, 665], "category": "Text", "text": "The risks are considered low, as there is a strong political commitment to develop e-government in Aruba. In order to ensure that e-government will have environmental benefits too, the Government is committed to carry out an impact assessment to map the potential negative impact of increased energy consumption and the need to minimise e-waste."}, {"bbox": [97, 682, 1132, 761], "category": "Text", "text": "**In conclusion, the policy is sufficiently relevant and credible for budget support contract objectives to be largely achieved. Therefore, the policy can be supported by the Commission with the proposed budget support contract.**"}, {"bbox": [86, 775, 357, 802], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 2.3.2. Macroeconomic Policy"}, {"bbox": [97, 830, 466, 854], "category": "Section-header", "text": "#### Relations with IMF and the Netherlands"}, {"bbox": [97, 868, 1132, 922], "category": "Text", "text": "The relationship between Aruba and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is confined to the Article IV consultation²¹ since there are no loan or support programmes in place."}, {"bbox": [97, 934, 1132, 1173], "category": "Text", "text": "Aruba is one of the four constituent countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. As such, they are autonomous from the Government of the Netherlands and do not receive regular financial contributions from the Netherlands. Due to fiscal problems, the government requested financial support from the Netherlands in 2015. This support was granted along the establishment of temporary independent financial supervision from the Kingdom. On the basis of the Landsverordening Aruba Tijdelijk financieel toezicht (LaFT), supervision is carried out by the Commissie Financieel Toezicht ('CFT') since 2015. The supervision focuses on the compliance with the fiscal rules included in the LaFT. The financial supervision was intended for three years (until 2018), but in 2018 it was extended for the period 2019-2021 on the basis of a protocol."}, {"bbox": [97, 1185, 1132, 1530], "category": "Text", "text": "The role of the Netherlands in the financial governance of Aruba was elevated during the COVID-19 crisis. The Dutch government provided AWG 916 000 000 (EUR 442 000 000 at the exchange rate of disbursement) in liquidity support as zero interest loan. The liquidity support was provided with complementary measures for reform and supervision. Reforms were framed into \"an autonomous country package\" referred as Landspakket and the financial supervision aimed to establish a new, permanent legal framework for the CFT and the fiscal rules included in a new Rijkswet Aruba Financieel Toezicht (RAFT). However, the RAFT has not yet been adopted by the Aruban Parliament. Instead, the Protocol linked to the LaFT has been prolonged until 31 December 2023. Based on article 14 of this protocol, Aruba is required to realise a fiscal surplus of 1% of the GDP in the budget 2023. Also, Aruba should realise annually a reduction in the salary costs. In October 2023, the Aruban government needs to re-finance the liquidity support and is currently negotiating the conditions with the Dutch government. Aruba and the Netherlands also considered structural cooperation in reform and development under a new Kingdom Act COHO (Caribbean Organ for Reform and Development). The draft law was not endorsed and replaced by the Mutual Arrangement signed on 4 April 2023 between the Aruban and the Dutch government."}, {"bbox": [86, 1620, 1040, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "²¹ The latest Article IV report for Aruba dates from April 2021. The next IMF mission is scheduled for May 2023."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 9 of 28"}]