The border dates back to 1648, when France and the Netherlands agreed divide the Caribbean island of Saint Martin but has never defined its boundary precisely. Instead, the border of reality evolved over the centuries, creating a recurrence conflicts on permits, law enforcement and environmental management around the lagoon.
Finally it took Hurricane Irma in 2017, which destroyed more than 95 percent of the island’s buildings, pushing Paris and The Hague to finally settle the question.
“France can be proud to have resolved one of the oldest territorial disputes,” lawmaker Bertrand Bouyx, who led the law through parliament, wrote in report to accompany the bill.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands must still ratify the agreement before it can come into effect.
