U.S. Relations With Suriname
More information about Suriname is available on the Suriname Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.
U.S.-SURINAME RELATIONS
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, policymakers, and at-risk youth 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), a police unit dedicated to combating Trafficking in Persons, training for prison guards, youth workforce development and juvenile justice support focused on deterring youth involvement in crime and violence, disaster preparedness, and efforts to counter the emergence of drug resistant strains of malaria. 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 coastal restoration and climate change mitigation.
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 one U.S. company recently signed agreements with the government of Suriname to develop a large gold-mining operation in eastern Suriname. 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'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 one U.S. company recently signed agreements with the government of Suriname to develop a large gold-mining operation in eastern Suriname. 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.
Bilateral Representation
Edwin R. Nolan serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Suriname; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.
Suriname maintains an embassy in the United States at 4301 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 460, Washington, D.C. 20008 (tel. 202-244-7488; fax. 202-244-5878) and a consulate general at 6303 Blue Lagoon Drive, Suite 325, Miami, FL 33126 (tel. 305-265-4655, fax. 305-265-4599).
More information about Suriname is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:
Department of State Suriname Page
Department of State Key Officers List
CIA World Factbook Suriname Page
U.S. Embassy: Suriname
History of U.S. Relations With Suriname
Human Rights Reports
International Religious Freedom Reports
Trafficking in Persons Reports
Narcotics Control Reports
Investment Climate Statements
Travel and Business Information