Suriname is seeking to have a more significant presence in North Africa

PARAMARIBO, Suriname– Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation Minister, Albert Ramdin, has left for Morocco as the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country moves towards establishing an embassy in the North African country.

The two countries have already agreed on a cooperation agenda that will allow Morocco to provide one million US dollars in aid to Suriname. Ramdin’s visit is intended to consolidate the agreement further.

Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation Minister, Albert Ramdin, spoke to reporters before his departure for Morocco.

The new agreement also provides Morocco scholarships to students from Suriname, and the North African country had provided 500 metric meters of fertilizer under a previous accord with Rabat, indicating that Paramaribo could purchase more fertilizer if needed at a reduced rate.

Before his departure, Ramdin told reporters that the embassy in Rabat would be used more for political work and cooperation. He said the consulate-general would serve as Suriname’s trade office, serving all of North Africa and Morocco.

Ramdin said that Suriname had not made full use of the opportunities in Africa in its international relations, with its embassy in Ghana focusing on ties with West African countries and Morocco being used to develop closer relations with North Africa.

“Politics has great advantages because we are not alone in the world,” Ramdin said, explaining that Suriname’s resources in its external affairs should be viewed as an investment and not simply as costs for which there are no benefits.

He said in addition to economic benefits, there are also political benefits, noting that while Suriname will spend US7.5 million this year on further developing its foreign service, the country expects to gain between US$20 and US$30 million in economic benefits.

He said Suriname earns approximately four million US dollars annually from the issuance of travel visas.

Ramdin will also pay a working visit to Israel and the Netherlands. In Israel, he will be accompanied by Suriname’s non-resident ambassador Stevanus Noordzee.