Netherlands and France set to formally establish a border on Sint Maarten
The Netherlands and France are set to formally establish a border on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. The move ends nearly 400 years of ambiguity that has fueled disputes over land use, law enforcement, and resources.
The open border separates the self-governing Dutch territory of Sint Maarten from the French territory of Saint-Martin. Sint Maarten is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with Aruba and Curaçao. It lies outside the European Union. Residents cross freely between the two sides every day. They do so despite separate customs, immigration and tax systems.
The French parliament approved a 2023 proposal on Thursday. It legally defines the roughly 10-kilometer boundary between the Dutch and French sides of the island. The Kingdom of the Netherlands must still ratify the agreement for it to take effect.
A border was first sketched in pencil during a 1648 agreement. France and the Netherlands agreed then to divide the island, but they never set a precise line. A de facto boundary developed over the centuries, but disputes on permits, law enforcement boundaries, and environmental management continued.
Tensions focused especially on the village of Oyster Pond. The exact border line there remained unclear. The two sides also disagreed on a bay. They could not settle whether the entire bay belonged to the Dutch side or only part of it.
The drive for a clear, legal border intensified after Hurricane Irma struck in 2017. The storm destroyed more than 95 percent of the island’s buildings.
“France can be proud of the fact that it has resolved one of its oldest territorial disputes,” said French lawmaker Bertrand Bouyx. He guided the legislation through parliament.
