U.S. Embassy in Suriname

The United States and Suriname enjoy a constructive partnership. The two countries work together to enhance the security and prosperity of the region through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), prevent communicable diseases, promote healthy lifestyles through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), strengthen military-to-military cooperation, and promote a more environmentally sustainable Suriname through cultural and educational programs and exchanges. **U.S. Assistance to Suriname** The United States Government provides training to military and law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, government employees, and policymakers to build capacity and bolster democratic institutions in Suriname and the region. Specifically, U.S. assistance facilitates respect for civilian authority over the military, a DNA forensics laboratory, an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), training to effectively combat Trafficking in Persons, training for prison guards, and enhancing police river patrol capabilities. The United States also sponsored Suriname’s participation in the Container Control Program of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), a regional project that addresses port security and combats trafficking in illicit goods. U.S.-based non-government institutions play a special role in helping to preserve Suriname’s rainforest. The U.S. government has funded the Widening Informed Stakeholder Engagement for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (WISE REDD+) program to raise awareness of the importance of protecting rainforests. In 2014, the U.S. government supported local journalists to create a documentary on the adverse effects resulting from artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The embassy organized a five-week film festival with accompanying study guides for 6,000 junior and high-school students in January/February 2016 to emphasize the connection between human and environmental health, and invited U.S. environmental experts to provide technical assistance to government officials, NGOs, and the general public. Dialogue regarding Suriname’s signature of the Minamata Convention remains a priority along with protection of coastal ecosystems. **Bilateral Economic Relations** Suriname’s emerging economy creates new possibilities for U.S. exports and investments. The United States remains one of Suriname’s principal trading partners. U.S. companies have long-standing investments in the extractive industries including bauxite and gold, and Surgold, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Newmont Mining, opened a gold mine and refinery in Suriname in 2016. U.S. companies also have agreements for offshore oil exploration with state oil company Staatsolie. Principal U.S. exports to Suriname include chemicals, vehicles, machine parts, meat, and wheat. Availability of U.S. consumer products increased significantly in the last few years through Suriname’s privately-held trading and import-export companies. Opportunities for U.S. exporters, service companies, and engineering firms will likely continue to expand over the next decade with increased activity in the mining and oil sectors by American companies. Suriname is looking to the U.S. and other foreign investors to assist in the commercial development of its vast natural resources and to help finance infrastructure improvements. **Suriname’s Membership in International Organizations** Suriname is a member of a number of international organizations, including the United Nations, Organization of American States, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the International Monetary Fund, and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation.