Rendell de Kort

de Kort, Rendell

Department

Faculty of Arts and Science

Email Address

rendell.dekort@ua.aw

Last updated March 2, 2026

Biography

Rendell de Kort is a PhD candidate at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam researching governance-entrepreneurship co-shaping and economic resilience in Small Island Developing States, with particular focus on the Dutch Caribbean. Born and based in Aruba, he brings both academic rigor and lived experience to his analysis of island economic vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity. His research examines how small islands can maintain transformation capabilities while pursuing economic efficiency, questioning traditional resilience frameworks through the lens of complex adaptive systems. Previously a research economist at the Central Bank of Aruba, Rendell now operates as principal of Cornerstone Economics while conducting doctoral research. His work spans disaster risk financing, food security, and post-crisis recovery assessments across the Caribbean region, including consultancies for the World Bank and regional institutions. He holds a master's degree in Development Economics from the University of Manchester and contributes regularly to academic and policy discussions on sustainable island development. His research bridges economic theory and practical policy, offering insights particularly relevant to Caribbean SIDS navigating between prosperity and vulnerability.

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 11

Metadata only
What small islands reveal about a blind spot in resilience thinking
(World Economic Forum, 2026-02-04) de Kort, Rendell
Metadata only
Boekpresentatie gedenkbundel 40 jaar Status Aparte: Tussen voortgaan en stilstaan
(2026-02-02) Huiskes, Brechtje; Gomez, Lincoln; Croes, Ronella; Werleman, Margarita; Alofs, Luc; Bonnevalle-Kok, Ruth; de Kort, Rendell; Huiskes, Brechtje
Open Access
Research seminar: The Aruban elections of 2024 and their aftermath
(2025-05-23) Veenendaal, Wouter; Alofs, Luc; Huiskes, Brechtje; Meijer, Hannah; Milliard, Luciano; de Kort, Rendell; Vink, Helmut; Franken, Thaïs; Veenendaal, Wouter
Open Access
Island Innovation Policy Brief: Exploring amplified Food Security vulnerabilities in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
(Island Innovation, 2024) de Kort, Rendell; de Jong, Rosemarijn; Hoogstad, Eugène; Carmona Báez, Antonio; Echteld, Elisabeth; Mijts, Eric
This research examines the vulnerabilities in food systems of island communities, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnering with the World Food Programme in the Caribbean, it leverages data for comparative analysis across the region. Utilizing data from this collaboration and the ZonMw research project, the study explores the complex interplay of economic, environmental, and other factors contributing to these vulnerabilities.
Metadata only
Curaçao Food Security Assessment - Enhancing the Resilience of Vulnerable Households while Boosting Sustainable Economic Growth
(World Bank Group, 2023) Channa, Hira; Wielinga, Doekle; Boyer, Mary; Horton, John; Millán, Maria Florencia; de Kort, Rendell; Justiniano, Ivelisse; van Baren, Pieter
In 2020-2021 Curaçao suffered an extended hiatus in tourism and disruption to its economy caused by the COVID-19 lockdown. Nearly two-thirds of Curaçao’s households reported a drop in income during the pandemic closures. Yet unlike many of their Caribbean neighbors, few Curaçaoans faced significant hardship finding enough food, with only 2 percent reporting going a full day without a meal during this period. The population was protected principally because of economic assistance received from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. That safety net intervention cannot of course, be guaranteed in the event of a future food crisis. Considering that, the government of Curaçao has decided to re-examine its food security policies and vulnerabilities as an island economy that is nearly entirely dependent on imports to feed its population. This assessment reviews the four fundamental elements of food security as a framework of analysis, namely, the availability, access, utilization, and stability of the food supply to continually meet the nutritional needs of the entire population.
Open Access
Advancing Disaster Risk Financing in Sint Maarten
(World Bank Group, 2023) Boyer, Mary; Wielinga, Doekle; Gunaskera, Rashmin; de Kort, Rendell; Wrede, Peter; Whyte-Givans, Sophia; Justiniano, Ivelisse; Macabuag, Josh
Historical losses due to hurricanes have been significant in Sint Maarten (SXM) since 1960, with the most severe impact having been experienced in 2017 following Hurricane Irma. The objective of this report is to provide recommendations to the Government of Sint Maarten (GoSXM) for the formulation of a country-specific comprehensive disaster risk financing (DRF) strategy based on the assessment of the legislative, financial management, fiscal, and insurance market environment in SXM. It is envisioned that this report will be used as a planning tool for the potential development of an all-encompassing DRF strategy that would equip the GoSXM with information and instruments to manage contingent liabilities posed by disasters.
Metadata only
COVID-19 Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Bonaire: Socioeconomic assessment
(World Bank Group, 2021) Boyer, Mary; Kambon, Asha; Justiniano, Ivelisse; Leeffers, Steffan; de Kort, Rendell; Koolman, Herry; Millán, Maria Florencia; Alders, Arxen
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and called on countries to activate and expand response mechanisms. In response, the Governor of Bonaire announced the first measures on March 14. With those measures began initiatives to safeguard the population and to support their livelihoods. Bonaire is particularly susceptible to the downturn in the global economy resulting from the pandemic and measures such as border closures. The variety of economic activities is limited and tourism dependent, which makes Bonaire economically vulnerable. Thus, the national and local governments aimed to address the key challenges of maintaining the capacity for care, preventing a financial and economic downturn, and maintaining public order and safety. Transport connections and border controls were secured to access necessary support and to prevent virus spread through irregular crossings. The purpose of this assessment was to define a comprehensive program of recovery because of the effects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people and economy of Bonaire. The scope of the study entailed an examination of all sectors of the economy to capture the change in flows resulting from the disruption of production, access to goods and services, and the direct and indirect costs of management of the pandemic. Some of these costs are health-related but many are social costs to buffer households from the full effects of the pandemic. The study required the collection of quantitative data at the sector level about the situation before and during the event. Data constraints have guided the assessment towards the productive and infrastructure sectors of the economy. The cross-cutting issues of disaster risk financing, gender and the environment have also been examined.
Open Access
Forecasting tourism demand through search queries and machine learning
(2017) de Kort, Rendell
This paper utilizes different machine learning techniques for tourism demand forecasting. Considering the magnitude of tourism in terms of economic contribution to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), policy making could benefit greatly from accurate tourism demand forecasting. This paper pursues a novel approach of identifying relevant search query features through google correlate and applying machine learning techniques to estimate individual source market series prior to aggregation. The prediction performance of several machine learning methods is assessed when applied to monthly tourist arrivals from individual source countries to Aruba from 1994 to 2016. The results indicate that machine learning techniques in combination with novel internet datasets sets pose great potential for achieving accurate tourism demand forecasts.
Open Access
De economische consequenties van de verdwijning van Natalee Holloway
(MeJudice, 2015) Hassink, Wolter; de Kort, Rendell; Ridderstaat, Jorge
Met de verdwijning van Natalee Holloway in 2005 ontstond een media-aandacht voor Aruba. Die aandacht heeft significante gevolgen gehad voor de Arubaanse economie. In een speurtocht naar de gevolgen van haar verdwijning vinden de economen Hassink, De Kort en Ridderstaat dat dit een negatief effect had op de Arubaanse economie van tussen de 0,5 en 2,1 procent van het (nominale) Arubaanse BBP (bruto binnenlands product) op jaarbasis in 2005 en tussen de 2,5 en 4,0 procent van het BBP in 2006.
Metadata only
Searching for Binding Constraints on Economic Growth in Aruba. Applying the Growth Diagnostics Approach
(Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012) de Kort, Rendell; de Kort, Rendell
Aruba pulled off a remarkable economic recovery after the shutdown of the Lago oil refinery in 1986. Largely fuelled by the rapid expansion of the tourism industry, real gross domestic product growth rates averaged at 4.8 percent during the period 1986-1992. Yet in more recent years, growth rates have diminished and it has become evident that Aruba is unlikely to sustain its growth record relying solely on an expansionary tourism industry. By applying the Growth Diagnostic methodology this work analyses the binding constraint to growth in Aruba.