PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC—Suriname on Friday signed two agreements with the United States to tackle international drug trafficking and other forms of cross-border criminal activities.
The first agreement allows for US$300,000 towards the International Narcotic Control and Law Enforcement (INL) under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which has operated since 2011.
The parties said that the funding would strengthen the judicial systems, disrupting drug trafficking and, among other things, cross-border crime and terrorism.
Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation Minister Albert Ramdin told the signing ceremony that crime knows no borders and cooperation is essential.
He said that the US assistance in combating crime should give Suriname access to modern methods that will make the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country a safer marketplace for business.
United States Ambassador Robert Faucher said that security is of paramount importance and that it is strategic that the countries in the vicinity of the US are stable and prosperous.
He said that a large part of the funds will go to border security, anti-money laundering, and maintaining the independent rule of law.
Justice and Police Minister Kenneth Amoksi said Suriname has enjoyed long-term cooperation with the US in the areas of drug crime, organized crime, and training of justice personnel.
He said assistance is also being provided for the upcoming general elections in May next year.
Under the Aerial Interception Assistance Agreement, Washington will assist Paramaribo with locating, identifying, tracking, and intercepting any illegal aircraft entering Surinamese airspace.
Ramdin said that while the Surinamese authorities are aware of illegal plane movements, they lack the capacity to respond to every flight.
‘We cannot do it alone,’ said Ramdin.
The agreement also allows Suriname to participate in the Cooperative Situational Information Integration System (CSII) signed in August last year. CSII is an internet-based information-sharing network that allows partner countries to merge air, maritime, and ground data to develop a common operational picture.
Ambassador Faucher: Under the agreement, this will enable ‘real-time’ information sharing, for example, regarding boats operating in Surinamese waters.
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