Foreign relations of Suriname

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As part of the foreign relations of Suriname, the country is a participant in numerous international organizations.

Border disputes

Main article: Borders of Suriname

The country claims an area in French Guiana between Litani River and Marouini River (both headwaters of the Lawa). Suriname also claims an area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne).

International organization participation

Suriname is a member of numerous international organizations. Among them, since gaining independence, Suriname has become a member of the UN, the OAS, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the Association of Caribbean States. It is associated with the European Union through the Lomé Convention. Suriname participates in the Amazonian Pact, a grouping of the countries of the Amazon basin that focuses on protection of the Amazon region's natural resources from environmental degradation.

Reflecting its status as a major bauxite producer, Suriname is a member of the International Bauxite Association. The country also belongs to the Caribbean Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America, the Forum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Suriname became a member of the Islamic Development Bank in 1998, under the Wijdenbosch government. In 2003, Suriname joined the Nederlandse Taalunie (Dutch language union).

Suriname has been a member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) since the group's founding in 1992.[1]

Regional and international agreements

Bilateral agreements with several countries of the region, covering diverse areas of cooperation, have underscored the government's interest in strengthening regional ties. The return to Suriname from French Guiana of about 8,000 refugees of the 1986–91 civil war between the military and domestic insurgents has improved relations with French authorities. Longstanding border disputes with Guyana and French Guiana remain unresolved. Negotiations with the Government of Guyana brokered by the Jamaican Prime Minister in 2000 did not produce an agreement but the countries agreed to restart talks after Guyanese national elections in 2001. In January 2002 the presidents of Suriname and Guyana met in Suriname and agreed to resume negotiations, establishing the Suriname-Guyana border commission to begin meeting in May 2002. An earlier dispute with Brazil ended amicably after formal demarcation of the border.

In May 1997, then-President Wijdenbosch joined US President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever US-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean - Outlining a framework for cooperation on justice and counter narcotics issues, finance, development, and trade.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Suriname maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# Country Date[2]
1 Germany 25 November 1975[3]
2 Ghana 24 November 1975
3 Guyana 24 November 1975
4 South Korea 24 November 1975
5 Mexico 25 November 1975
6 Netherlands 25 November 1975
7 Venezuela 25 November 1975[4]
8 India 23 January 1976
9 United States 23 January 1976
10 Indonesia 24 January 1976
11 Israel 24 February 1976
12 Brazil 3 March 1976
13 United Kingdom 31 March 1976
14 China 17 May 1976
15 Libya 17 May 1976
16 Syria 19 May 1976
17 Nicaragua 24 June 1976
18 Turkey 29 June 1976
19 Czech Republic 30 June 1976
20 Serbia 9 July 1976[5]
21 Spain 9 July 1976
22 France 25 August 1976
23 Belgium 1 October 1976
24 Canada 2 November 1976
25 Japan 2 November 1976
26 Russia 2 November 1976
27 Greece 6 November 1976
28 Norway 27 January 1977
39 Barbados 7 February 1977
30 Egypt 23 February 1977
31 Romania 10 March 1977
32 Portugal 2 March 1977[6]
33 Pakistan 7 April 1977
34 Austria 3 May 1977
35 Chile 7 May 1977
36 Hungary 7 May 1977
37 Argentina 23 June 1977
38 Gambia 17 October 1977
39 Trinidad and Tobago 16 January 1978
40 Iraq 25 February 1978
41 Sweden 15 March 1978
42 Bolivia 22 June 1978
43 Colombia 22 June 1978
44 Ecuador 22 June 1978
45 Peru 22 June 1978
46 Tanzania 30 June 1978
47 Costa Rica 1 March 1979
48 Dominica 1 March 1979
49 Dominican Republic 1 March 1979
50 El Salvador 1 March 1979
51 Guatemala 1 March 1979
52 Grenada 1 March 1979
53 Haiti 1 March 1979
54 Honduras 1 March 1979
55 Panama 1 March 1979
56 Uruguay 9 March 1979
57 Italy 15 March 1979
58 Cuba 23 March 1979
59  Switzerland 11 July 1979
60 Bahamas 29 August 1979
61 Nigeria 3 June 1980
62 Cyprus 25 July 1980
63 Saint Lucia 6 November 1980
64 Denmark 27 November 1980
65 Algeria 20 March 1982
66 North Korea 10 October 1982
67 Mozambique 10 October 1982
68 Bangladesh 8 November 1983
69 Togo 8 November 1983
70 Angola 6 September 1985[7][8]
71 Zimbabwe 20 December 1985
72 Thailand 24 February 1987
73 Antigua and Barbuda 10 October 1989
74 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10 October 1989[9]
75 Namibia 15 November 1990[9]
76 Paraguay 20 November 1992
77 Poland 24 May 1993
78 Malaysia 2 July 1993
– Holy See 16 February 1994
79 South Africa 3 February 1995
80 Lebanon 26 April 1995[9]
81 Australia 19 January 1996
82 Singapore 15 April 1996[10]
83 Slovenia 22 August 1997
84 Croatia 17 November 1997
85 Qatar 24 November 1997
86 Iran 11 December 1997
87 Philippines 16 December 1997
88 Vietnam 19 December 1997
89 Senegal 17 April 1998
90 Belize 13 May 1998
91 Brunei 22 February 1999
92 Saudi Arabia 24 February 1999
– Sovereign Military Order of Malta 30 April 1999
93 Armenia 24 June 1999
94 Turkmenistan 25 June 1999
95 Oman 13 July 1999
96 Sudan 10 September 1999
97 United Arab Emirates 17 October 1999
98 Bahrain 10 November 1999
99 Azerbaijan 11 February 2000
100 Slovakia 12 March 2002[9]
101 Morocco 28 July 2004[11]
102 Bulgaria 20 September 2004[12]
103 Iceland 9 November 2004
104 Estonia 21 June 2005
105 Finland 28 June 2005[13]
106 Guinea 28 August 2006
107 Ukraine 20 September 2006
108 North Macedonia 12 April 2007[9]
109 Botswana 6 December 2007
110 Maldives 23 October 2008[9]
111 Latvia 20 May 2009[9]
112 Belarus 2 June 2009[9]
113 Luxembourg 1 February 2010
114 Montenegro 14 May 2010[14]
115 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21 June 2010
116 Georgia 27 May 2011
117 Zambia 2 September 2011
118 Saint Kitts and Nevis 11 October 2011
119 Cambodia 31 October 2011
120 Fiji 21 December 2011
121 Equatorial Guinea 12 January 2012
122 Solomon Islands 10 August 2012[9]
123 Samoa 16 November 2012
124 Sri Lanka 16 November 2012
125 Lithuania 26 March 2013
126 Moldova 5 April 2013
127 Kazakhstan 11 April 2013
128 Eswatini 7 June 2013
129 Mongolia 27 September 2013
130 New Zealand 25 March 2014
131 Ivory Coast 18 November 2015
132 Kyrgyzstan 23 September 2016[15]
133 Tajikistan 2 October 2018[9]
134   Nepal 11 October 2018[9]
135 Kenya 24 September 2019[9]
136 San Marino 8 October 2019[16]
137 Rwanda 14 October 2019[9]
138 Ireland 19 November 2019[17]
139 Djibouti 21 February 2020[9]
140 Mauritius 21 March 2022[9]
141 Cape Verde 12 December 2022[9]
142 Malta 18 May 2023[18]
143 Kuwait 31 January 2024[19]
144 Marshall Islands 28 May 2024[20]
145 Seychelles 22 September 2024[21]
146 Uzbekistan 21 February 2025[9]
147 Burundi 17 April 2025[9]
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Bilateral relations

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
Barbados8 March 1978See Barbados–Suriname relations

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 March 1978. In 2009 both nations formed a Joint Commission to improve relations between both countries and expand in various areas of cooperation.[22]

BrazilSee Brazil–Suriname relations
Canada1975
ChinaSee China–Suriname relations
  • China has an embassy in Paramaribo.
  • Suriname has an embassy in Beijing.
CubaSee Cuba–Suriname relations
  • Cuba has an embassy in Paramaribo.[28]
  • Suriname has an embassy in Havana.[29]
FranceSee France–Suriname relations
  • France has an embassy in Paramaribo.[30]
  • Suriname has an embassy in Paris and a consulate-general in Cayenne.[31][32]
 Germany 25 November 1975 See Germany–Suriname relations
Ghana24 November 1975See Ghana–Suriname relations
GuyanaSee Guyana–Suriname relations
IndiaSee India–Suriname relations
  • India has an embassy in Paramaribo.[33]
  • Suriname has an embassy in New Delhi.[34]
IndonesiaSee Indonesia–Suriname relations
  • Indonesia has an embassy in Paramaribo.
  • Suriname has an embassy in Jakarta.
Mexico1975See Mexico–Suriname relations
  • Mexico is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and has an honorary consulate in Paramaribo.[35]
  • Suriname is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C.; United States.[36]
Netherlands25 November 1975See Netherlands–Suriname relations
Russia

The nations have begun discussing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, fishing, shipbuilding, education, along with trade. In October 2013, the Surinamese foreign minister, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle visited Moscow for talks on concluding military and joint law enforcement training.[39]

 Switzerland1979See Suriname–Switzerland relations
Trinidad and TobagoSee Suriname–Trinidad and Tobago relations
Turkey1976[40]See Suriname–Turkey relations
  • Turkey is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.[40]
  • Trade volume between the two countries was US$18.2 million in 2019 (Suriname's exports/imports: 0.1/18.1 million USD).[40]
United Kingdom1976See Suriname–United Kingdom relations

Suriname established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 31 March 1976.

  • Suriname does not maintain an embassy in the UK.
  • The United Kingdom is not accredited to Suriname through an embassy; the UK develops relations through its high commission in Georgetown, Guyana.[41]

England governed Suriname from 1650 to 1667, when Suriname was ceded to the Netherlands. The UK occupied Suriname from 1799 until 1816.[42]

Both countries share common membership of the Atlantic Co-operation Pact,[43] the Caribbean Development Bank, the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the CARIFORUM–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement.[44]

United StatesSee Suriname–United States relations
  • Suriname has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and a consulate-general in Miami.[45]
  • United States has an embassy in Paramaribo.[46]
VenezuelaSee Suriname–Venezuela relations
  • Suriname has an embassy in Caracas.[47]
  • Venezuela has an embassy in Paramaribo.[48]
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See also

References

External links

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