Suriname

 

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs                                          
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Suriname                                                   
                                                                       
  Flag of Suriname is five horizontal bands of green - top, double width;     
  white; red - quadruple width; white; and green - double width; a large,     
  yellow, five-pointed star is centered in red band.                          
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Republic of Suriname                                                        
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 163,194 sq. km. (63,037 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Georgia.       
  Cities: Capital--Paramaribo (pop. 242,946). Other cities--Nieuw Nickerie,   
  Moengo, Brownsweg, Albina.                                                  
  Terrain: Rain forest, savanna, coastal swamps, hills.                       
  Climate: Tropical.                                                          
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun--Surinamer(s). Adjective--Surinamese.                     
  Population (2004 census): 492,829.                                          
  Annual growth rate (2004): 1.30%.                                           
  Ethnic groups: Hindustani (East Indian) 27%, Creole 18%, Javanese 15%, Maroon
  15%, Mixed 12.5%, Amerindians 3.7%, Chinese 1.8% (percentages from 2004     
  census).                                                                    
  Religions: Hindu, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Dutch Reformed, Moravian, several 
  other Christian denominations, Jewish, Baha'i.                              
  Languages: Dutch (official), English, Sranan Tongo (Creole language),       
  Hindustani, Javanese.                                                       
  Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-12. Literacy--90%.                      
  Health: Infant mortality rate (2004)--7 per 1,000. Life expectancy (2003)--71
  yrs.                                                                        
  Work force (100,000): Government--35%; private sector--41%; parastatal      
  companies--10%; unemployed--14%.                                            
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Constitutional democracy.                                             
  Constitution: September 30, 1987.                                           
  Independence: November 25, 1975.                                            
  Branches: Executive--president, vice president, Council of Ministers.       
  Legislative--elected 51-member National Assembly made up of representatives 
  of political parties. Judicial--Court of Justice.                           
  Administrative subdivisions: 10 districts.                                  
  Political parties: Governing coalition--National Party of Suriname (NPS);   
  Progressive Reform Party (VHP); Pertjaja Luhur; A - Combination, a coalition
  of General Interior Development Party (ABOP), Brotherhood and Unity in      
  Politics (BEP), and Seeka; Suriname Workers Party (SPA); Democratic         
  Alternative '91 (DA' 91). Other parties in the National Assembly--National  
  Democratic Party (NDP), Democratic National Platform 2000 (DNP 2000),       
  Alternative 1 (A1), Party for Renewal and Development (BVD), Javanese       
  Indonesian Peasants Party (KTPI).                                           
  Suffrage: Universal at 18.                                                  
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $2.11 billion.                                        
  Annual growth rate real GDP (2006 est.): 5.8%.                              
  Per capita GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $4,000.                                    
  Inflation (2006): 5.6%.                                                     
  Natural resources: Bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, other minerals; forests;   
  hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp.                                   
  Agriculture: Products--rice, bananas, timber, and citrus fruits.            
  Industry: Types--alumina, oil, gold, fish, shrimp, lumber.                  
  Trade (2005): Exports--U.S. $929.1 million: alumina, gold, crude oil, wood  
  and wood products, rice, bananas, fish, and shrimp. Major markets--Norway   
  (23.9%), U.S. (16.8%), Canada (16.4%), France (8.1%), Iceland (2.9%). Imports
  --$1.1 billion: capital equipment, petroleum, iron and steel products,      
  agricultural products, and consumer goods. Major suppliers--U.S. (24.4%),   
  Netherlands (14.5%), Trinidad and Tobago (10.5%), Japan (4.3%), China (5.4%),
  Brazil (3.6%).                                                              
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  Most Surinamese live in the narrow, northern coastal plain. The population is
  one of the most ethnically diverse in the world. Each ethnic group preserves
  its own culture, and many institutions, including political parties, tend to
  follow ethnic lines. Informal relationships vary: the upper classes of all  
  ethnic backgrounds mix freely; outside of the elite, social relations tend to
  remain within ethnic groupings. All groups may be found in schools and the  
  workplace.                                                                  
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  Arawak and Carib tribes lived in the region before Columbus sighted the coast
  in 1498. Spain officially claimed the area in 1593, but Spanish and         
  Portuguese explorers of the time gave the area little attention. Dutch      
  settlement began in 1616 at the mouths of several rivers between present-day
  Georgetown, Guyana, and Cayenne, French Guiana.                             
                                                                       
  Suriname became a Dutch colony in 1667. The new colony, Dutch Guiana, did not
  thrive. Historians cite several reasons for this, including Holland's       
  preoccupation with its more extensive (and profitable) East Indian          
  territories, violent conflict between whites and native tribes, and frequent
  uprisings by the imported slave population, which was often treated with    
  extraordinary cruelty. Barely, if at all, assimilated into plantation       
  society, many of the slaves fled to the interior, where they maintained a   
  West African culture and established the five major Bush Negro tribes in    
  existence today: the Djuka, Saramaccaner, Matuwari, Paramaccaner, and Quinti.
                                                                       
  Plantations steadily declined in importance as labor costs rose. Rice,      
  bananas, and citrus fruits replaced the traditional crops of sugar, coffee, 
  and cocoa. Exports of gold rose beginning in 1900. The Dutch government gave
  little financial support to the colony. Suriname's economy was transformed in
  the years following World War I, when an American firm (ALCOA) began        
  exploiting bauxite deposits in East Suriname. Bauxite processing and then   
  alumina production began in 1916. During World War II, more than 75% of U.S.
  bauxite imports came from Suriname.                                         
                                                                       
  In 1951, Suriname began to acquire a growing measure of autonomy from the   
  Netherlands. Suriname became an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the       
  Netherlands on December 15, 1954, and gained independence, with Dutch       
  consent, on November 25, 1975.                                              
                                                                       
  Most of Suriname's political parties took shape during the autonomy period  
  and were overwhelmingly based on ethnicity. For example, the National Party 
  of Suriname found its support among the Creoles, the Progressive Reform Party
  members came from the Hindustani population, and the Indonesian Peasant's   
  Party was Javanese. Other smaller parties found support by appealing to     
  voters on an ideological or pro-independence platform; the Partij           
  Nationalistische Republiek (PNR) was among the most important. Its members  
  pressed most strongly for independence and for the introduction of leftist  
  political and economic measures. Many former PNR members would go on to play
  a key role following the coup of February 1980.                             
                                                                       
  Suriname was a parliamentary democracy in the years immediately following   
  independence. Henk Arron became the first Prime Minister and was re-elected 
  in 1977. On February 25, 1980, 16 noncommissioned officers overthrew the    
  elected government, which many accused of inefficiency and mismanagement. The
  military-dominated government then suspended the constitution, dissolved the
  legislature, and formed a regime that ruled by decree. Although a civilian  
  filled the post of president, a military man, Desi Bouterse, actually ruled 
  the country.                                                                
                                                                       
  Throughout 1982, pressure grew for a return to civilian rule. In early      
  December 1982, military authorities cracked down, arresting and killing 15  
  prominent opposition leaders, including journalists, lawyers, and trade union
  leaders.                                                                    
                                                                       
  Following the murders, the United States and the Netherlands suspended      
  economic and military cooperation with the Bouterse regime, which           
  increasingly began to follow an erratic but often leftist-oriented political
  course. The regime restricted the press and limited the rights of its       
  citizens. The economy declined rapidly after the suspension of economic aid 
  from the Netherlands.                                                       
                                                                       
  Continuing economic decline brought pressure for change. During the 1984-87 
  period, the Bouterse regime tried to end the crisis by appointing a         
  succession of nominally civilian-led cabinets. Many figures in the government
  came from the traditional political parties that had been shoved aside during
  the coup. The military eventually agreed to free elections in 1987, a new   
  constitution, and a civilian government.                                    
                                                                       
  Another pressure for change had erupted in July 1986, when a Maroon         
  insurgency, led by former soldier Ronnie Brunswijk, began attacking economic
  targets in the country's interior. In response, the army ravaged villages and
  killed suspected Brunswijk supporters. Thousands of Maroons fled to nearby  
  French Guiana. In an effort to end the bloodshed, the Surinamese Government 
  negotiated a peace treaty, called the Kourou Accord, with Brunswijk in 1989.
  However, Bouterse and other military leaders blocked the accord's           
  implementation.                                                             
                                                                       
  On December 24, 1990, military officers forced the resignations of the      
  civilian President and Vice President elected in 1987. Military-selected    
  replacements were hastily approved by the National Assembly on December 29. 
  Faced with mounting pressure from the U.S., other nations, the Organization 
  of American States (OAS), and other international organizations, the        
  government held new elections on May 25, 1991. The New Front (NF) Coalition,
  comprised of the Creole-based National Party of Suriname (NPS), the         
  Hindustani-based Progressive Reform Party (VHP), the Javanese-based         
  Indonesian Peasant's Party (KTPI), and the labor-oriented Surinamese Workers
  Party (SPA) were able to win a majority in the National Assembly. On        
  September 6, 1991, NPS candidate Ronald Venetiaan was elected President, and
  the VHP's Jules Ajodhia became Vice President.                              
                                                                       
  The Venetiaan government was able to effect a settlement to Suriname's      
  domestic insurgency through the August 1992 Peace Accord with Bush Negro and
  Amerindian rebels. In April 1993, Desi Bouterse left his position as        
  commander of the armed forces and was replaced by Arthy Gorre, a military   
  officer committed to bringing the armed forces under civilian government    
  control. Economic reforms instituted by the Venetiaan government eventually 
  helped curb inflation, unify the official and unofficial exchange rates, and
  improve the government's economic situation by re-establishing relations with
  the Dutch, thereby opening the way for a major influx of Dutch financial    
  assistance. Despite these successes, the governing coalition lost support and
  failed to retain control of the government in the subsequent round of       
  national elections. The rival National Democratic Party (NDP), founded in the
  early 1990s by Desi Bouterse, benefited from the New Front government's loss
  of popularity. The NDP won more National Assembly seats (16 of 51) than any 
  other party in the May 1996 national elections, and in September, 1996,     
  joined with the KTPI, dissenters from the VHP, and several smaller parties to
  elect NDP vice chairman Jules Wijdenbosch president of an NDP-led coalition 
  government. Divisions and subsequent reshufflings of coalition members in the
  fall of 1997 and early 1998 weakened the coalition's mandate and slowed     
  legislative action.                                                         
                                                                       
  In May 1999, after mass demonstrations protesting poor economic conditions, 
  the government was forced to call early elections. The elections in May 2000
  returned Ronald Venetiaan and his New Front coalition to the presidency. The
  NF based its campaign on a platform to fix the faltering Surinamese economy.
                                                                       
  In the national election held on May 25, 2005, the ruling NF coalition      
  suffered a significant setback due to widespread dissatisfaction with the   
  state of the economy and the public perception that the NF had produced few 
  tangible gains. The NF won just 23 seats, falling short of a majority in the
  National Assembly, and immediately entered into negotiations with the       
  Maroon-based "A" Combination and the A-1 Coalition to form a working        
  majority. Desi Bouterse's NDP more than doubled its representation in the   
  National Assembly, winning 15 seats. Bouterse, the NDP's declared           
  presidential candidate, withdrew from the race days before the National     
  Assembly convened to vote for the next president and tapped his running mate,
  Rabin Parmessar, to run as the NDP's candidate. In the National Assembly, the
  NF challenged Parmessar's Surinamese citizenship, displaying copies of a    
  Dutch passport issued to Parmessar in 2004. Parmessar was eventually allowed
  to stand for election, and parliament later confirmed his Surinamese        
  citizenship. After two votes, no candidate received the required two-thirds 
  majority, pushing the final decision in August 2005 to a special session of 
  the United People's Assembly, where President Venetiaan was reelected with a
  significant majority of votes from the local, district, and national assembly
  members gathered. His running mate, Ramdien Sardjoe, was elected as vice    
  president. While the Venetiaan administration has made progress in          
  stabilizing the economy, tensions within the coalition have impeded progress
  and stymied legislative action.                                             
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT                                                                  
  The Republic of Suriname is a constitutional democracy based on the 1987    
  constitution. The legislative branch of government consists of a 51-member  
  unicameral National Assembly, simultaneously and popularly elected for a    
  5-year term.                                                                
                                                                       
  The executive branch is headed by the president, who is elected by a        
  two-thirds majority of the National Assembly or, failing that, by a majority
  of the People's Assembly for a 5-year term. If at least two-thirds of the   
  National Assembly cannot agree to vote for one presidential candidate, a    
  People's Assembly is formed from all National Assembly delegates and regional
  and municipal representatives who were elected by popular vote in the most  
  recent national election. A vice president, normally elected at the same time
  as the president, needs a simple majority in the National Assembly or       
  People's Assembly to be elected for a 5-year term. As head of government, the
  president appoints a cabinet of ministers. There is no constitutional       
  provision for removal or replacement of the president unless he resigns.    
                                                                       
  A 15-member State Advisory Council advises the president in the conduct of  
  policy. Eleven of the 15 council seats are allotted by proportional         
  representation of all political parties represented in the National Assembly.
  The president chairs the council; two seats are allotted to representatives 
  of labor, and two are allotted to employers' organizations.                 
                                                                       
  The judiciary is headed by the Court of Justice (Supreme Court). This court 
  supervises the magistrate courts. Members are appointed for life by the     
  president in consultation with the National Assembly, the State Advisory    
  Council, and the National Order of Private Attorneys.                       
                                                                       
  The country is divided into 10 administrative districts, each headed by a   
  district commissioner appointed by the president. The commissioner is similar
  to the governor of a U.S. State but serves at the president's pleasure.     
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  President--Runaldo Ronald Venetiaan                                         
  Vice President--Ramdien Sardjoe                                             
  Foreign Minister--Lygia Kraag-Keteldijk                                     
  Ambassador to U.S.--Jaques R. Kross                                         
  Ambassador to UN--Henry MacDonald                                           
  Ambassador to OAS--Jaques R. Kross                                          
                                                                       
  Suriname maintains an embassy in the United States at 4301 Connecticut Ave, 
  NW, Suite 460, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-244-7488; fax 202-244-5878).  
  There also is a Suriname consulate general at 7235 NW 19th St., Suite A,    
  Miami, FL 33136 (tel. 305-593-2163).                                        
                                                                       
  NATIONAL SECURITY                                                           
  Surinamese armed forces consist of the national army under the control of the
  Minister of Defense and a smaller civil police force, which is responsible to
  the Minister of Justice and Police. The national armed forces comprise some 
  2,200 personnel, the majority of whom are deployed as light infantry security
  forces. A small air force, navy, and military police also exist. The        
  Netherlands has provided limited military assistance to the Surinamese armed
  forces since the election of a democratic government in 1991. In recent     
  years, the U.S. has provided training to military officers and policymakers 
  to promote a better understanding of the role of the military in a civilian 
  government, and also offers significant humanitarian aid. Since the         
  mid-1990s, the People's Republic of China has been donating military        
  equipment and logistical material to the Surinamese Armed Forces. The       
  Netherlands, France, Venezuela, and Brazil also have working relationships  
  with the Surinamese military.                                               
                                                                       
  Suriname's borders are porous; largely uninhabited, unguarded, and ungoverned
  rain forest and rivers make up the eastern, western, and southern borders,  
  and the navy's capability to police Suriname's northern Atlantic coast is   
  limited. Protecting natural resources from illegal exploitation such as     
  unlicensed gold mining is difficult, and significant tax revenue is lost.   
  Porous borders also make Suriname a target for transshipment of drugs. Since
  2000, arrests and prosecutions of drug smugglers have increased, partially  
  due to funding and training for police capacity through the U.S. State      
  Department Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.           
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Suriname's economy has been dominated by the exports of alumina, oil, and   
  gold. Other export products include bananas, shrimp and fish, rice, and     
  lumber. In 2006 alumina accounted for approximately 46.2% of total exports. 
  Government income from the oil sector, however, has surpassed that of the   
  bauxite/alumina sector. Suriname's bauxite deposits have been among the     
  world's richest. Active in Suriname since 1916, SURALCO, a subsidiary of the
  Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA), has had a long-standing working        
  relationship with the Australian-owned BHP Billiton.                        
                                                                       
  After two years and an investment of approximately U.S. $130 million, BHP   
  Billiton officially commenced its mining activities at the Kaaimangrasie and
  Klaverblad mines in 2006. These mines are expected to provide enough bauxite
  to cover the transition between the closing of the depleted Lelydorp Mine and
  the possible opening of a mine in the Bakhuis area with estimated reserves of
  300 to 400 metric tons. Other proven reserves, sufficient to last until 2045,
  exist in the east, west, and north of the country. However, distance and    
  topography make their immediate development costly. The government is       
  currently in negotiations with SURALCO and BHP Billiton over the exploitation
  rights for the Bakhuis region. Parties expect to have a new bauxite agreement
  signed by 2008, with the companies commencing activities in that region in  
  either 2010 or 2011.                                                        
                                                                       
  The severe shortage of affordable energy sources has hampered Suriname's    
  ability to expand its industries. This goes for the bauxite sector as well. 
  Currently running on diesel-fueled generators, SURALCO has indicated that any
  expansion of operations to include mining and refining reserves from West   
  Suriname will depend on Suriname expanding its energy-generating sources. To
  alleviate some of Suriname's energy woes, the state-owned oil company,      
  Staatsolie, built a 14 megawatt (MW) diesel-generated energy plant in 2006. 
  In its most recently updated expansion plan, the company intends to expand  
  the capacity of the plant to 18 MW.                                         
                                                                       
  The gold mining sector is largely informal, unregulated, and small scale, but
  constitutes an important part of the informal economy (estimated at as much 
  as 100% of GDP), and must be brought into the realm of tax and environmental
  authorities. In the official sector the Gross Rosebel Goldmines, wholly owned
  by the Canadian firm IAMGOLD, commenced its operations in 2004 and          
  immediately positioned itself as the most productive and low-cost of all    
  mines owned by IAMGOLD. A new player in the Surinamese gold sector is the   
  U.S. firm Newmont Mining Corporation. Working in a joint venture with       
  SURALCO, the company has indicated that it will be seeking a production     
  license from the Government of Suriname by 2008. Newmont wants to be        
  operational by 2010. The reserves in the company's concession area are      
  estimated to be 300 million troy ounces.                                    
                                                                       
  Suriname has also attracted the attention of international companies        
  interested in extensive development of a tropical hardwoods industry and    
  possible diamond mining. However, proposals for exploitation of the country's
  tropical forests and undeveloped regions of the interior traditionally      
  inhabited by indigenous and Maroon communities have raised the concerns of  
  environmentalists and human rights activists in Suriname and abroad.        
                                                                       
  The sector with the most promising outlook for rapid, near future expansion 
  is the oil sector. A 2000 study by the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that 
  there may be up 15 billion barrels of oil in the Guyana Plateau. The        
  state-owned oil company, Staatsolie, is by law the only company with the    
  right to operate in Suriname's oil sector. Other companies can only access  
  the market through production sharing agreements with Staatsolie. With its  
  current output at 14,000 barrels per day (bpd), Staatsolie announced a robust
  expansion plan titled "Vision 2020" that will seek to expand output to 18,000
  bpd by 2012. Staatsolie also plans to expand its onshore exploration research
  in order to increase reserves by 30 million barrels per five years. In order
  to reach this goal, the company signed a production sharing agreement with  
  the Australian company Hardman Resources. Staatsolie further intends to     
  establish and develop near shore reserves. In its offshore activities the   
  company signed a production sharing agreements with the Spanish Repsol YPF  
  (2004), the Danish Maersk Oil (2004), and the American Occidental Petroleum 
  Corporation (2005). A second U.S. firm, Murphy Corporation, is expected to  
  sign a production sharing agreement with Staatsolie for offshore activities.
  Staatsolie expects 2008 to become the high point for Suriname's offshore oil
  activities, with Repsol YPF drilling its first test well. In its "Vision    
  2020" Staatsolie also announced major expansion plans for its downstream    
  market. The company wants to expand its refining capacity from 7,000 bpd to 
  15,000 bpd. Staatsolie also plans to put up its own retail business.        
                                                                       
  In an effort to address the problem of Suriname's ailing 110 parastatals, the
  government has introduced a plan that would strengthen them, after which they
  would be privatized. The first parastatals chosen for this experiment were  
  the banana company, Surland, the wood processing company, Bruynzeel, and the
  rice company, SML. After closing for more than seven months in 2002, the    
  banana company was reopened under the new name SBBS. After an initial attempt
  to privatize the company failed in 2005, the government continued the       
  restructuring of the company. With heavy financing from the European Union  
  the company has been revitalized, but is not yet out of debt. In 2006 SBBS  
  produced and exported at record quantities. The management of the company is
  currently in the hands of a French company. The government has not announced
  any new plans for privatizing the company. The privatization attempt of the 
  wood processing company, Bruynzeel, has failed. After months of negotiations,
  a memorandum of understanding, a letter of intent, and opposition protests  
  against the deal, the government and the Dutch company Doorwin failed to    
  reach an agreement on the terms of sale. The government is currently        
  considering its options with this company. A British investment firm, the   
  Emerald Investment Group, has expressed an interest in the company and has  
  made a tentative offer to the government for Bruynzeel. The government has  
  not indicated what it plans to do with the company. The restructuring of the
  heavily indebted rice company SML has failed. The company has also          
  continuously been involved in legal proceedings brought by one of its largest
  creditors. In May 2007 the government announced that it would go ahead with 
  the sale of the company. A call for proposals was published in the daily    
  newspapers. Indications are that the government might go ahead and accept any
  bid that would cover the company's extensive debt.                          
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  Since gaining independence, Suriname has become a member of the United      
  Nations, 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 Lome Convention.
  The Netherlands remains Suriname's biggest donor, but it has been surpassed 
  by the U.S. as a trade partner. 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 also a member
  of the International Bauxite Association. The country also belongs to the   
  Economic Commission for Latin America, 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.                                                                       
                                                                       
  At independence, Suriname signed an agreement with the Netherlands providing
  for about $1.5 billion in development assistance grants and loans over a 10-
  to 15-year period. Initial disbursements amounted to about $100 million per 
  year, but were discontinued during military rule. After the return to a     
  democratically elected government in 1991, Dutch aid resumed. The Dutch     
  relationship continued to be an important factor in the economy; with the   
  Dutch insisting that Suriname undertake economic reforms and produce specific
  plans acceptable to the Dutch for projects on which aid funds could be spent.
  In 2000, the Dutch revised the structure of their aid package and signaled to
  the Surinamese authorities their decision to disburse aid by sectoral       
  priorities as opposed to individual projects. In 2001 both governments agreed
  to spend the remaining development funds to finance programs in 6 different 
  sectors: health care, education, environment, agriculture, housing and      
  governance.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Relations with the Dutch have been complicated by Dutch prosecution of Desi 
  Bouterse in absentia on drug charges, and by legal maneuvering by Dutch     
  prosecutors trying to bring charges relating to the December 1982 murders. (A
  Dutch appellate court in 2000 found Bouterse guilty of one drug-related     
  charge; the decision was upheld on appeal.)                                 
                                                                       
  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. In 2004   
  Guyana brought Suriname before the United Nations Convention on the Law of  
  the Sea in the case regarding the maritime border dispute; a decision is    
  expected in 2007. An earlier dispute with Brazil ended amicably after formal
  demarcation of the border.                                                  
                                                                       
  U.S.-SURINAMESE RELATIONS                                                   
  Since the reestablishment of a democratic, elected government in 1991, the  
  United States has maintained positive and mutually beneficial relations with
  Suriname based on the principles of democracy, respect for human rights, rule
  of law, and civilian authority over the military. To further strengthen civil
  society and bolster democratic institutions, the U.S. has provided training 
  regarding appropriate roles for the military in civil society to some of    
  Suriname's military officers and decision makers. In addition, Narcotics    
  trafficking organizations are channeling increasing quantities of cocaine   
  through Suriname for repackaging and transport to Europe and the United     
  States, and of ecstasy for transport to the United States. To assist Suriname
  in the fight against drugs and associated criminal activity, the U.S. has   
  helped train Surinamese anti-drug squad personnel. The U.S. and Suriname also
  have significant partnerships in fighting trafficking in persons and money  
  laundering.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Since 2000, the U.S. has donated a criminal records database to the police as
  well as computers, vehicles, and radio equipment. Projects through which the
  U.S. has supported the judicial system include case management and computer 
  hardware donation. Along with training projects, these programs have led to a
  strong relationship with law enforcement entities in Suriname.              
                                                                       
  The U.S. Peace Corps in Suriname works with the Ministry of Regional        
  Development and rural communities to encourage community development in     
  Suriname's interior.                                                        
                                                                       
  Suriname is densely forested, and increased interest in large-scale         
  commercial logging and mining in Suriname's interior have raised            
  environmental concerns. The U.S. Forest Service, the Smithsonian, and       
  numerous non-governmental environmental organizations have promoted technical
  cooperation with Suriname's government to prevent destruction of the        
  country's tropical rain forest, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the   
  world. U.S. experts have worked closely with local natural resource officials
  to encourage sustainable development of the interior and alternatives such as
  ecotourism. On December 1, 2000, UNESCO designated the 1.6-million hectare  
  Central Suriname Nature Reserve a World Heritage site. Suriname's tourism   
  sector remains a minor part of the economy, and tourist infrastructure is   
  limited (in 2004, some 145,000 foreign tourists visited Suriname).          
                                                                       
  Suriname's efforts in recent years to liberalize economic policy created new
  possibilities for U.S. exports and investments. The U.S. remains one of     
  Suriname's principal trading partners, largely due to ALCOA's longstanding  
  investment in Suriname's bauxite mining and processing industry. Several U.S.
  corporations represented by Surinamese firms acting as dealers are active in
  Suriname, largely in the mining, consumer goods, and service sectors.       
  Principal U.S. exports to Suriname include chemicals, vehicles, machine     
  parts, meat, and wheat. U.S. consumer products are increasingly available   
  through Suriname's many trading companies. Opportunities for U.S. exporters,
  service companies, and engineering firms will probably expand over the next 
  decade.                                                                     
                                                                       
  Suriname is looking to U.S. and other foreign investors to assist in the    
  commercial development of its vast natural resources and to help finance    
  infrastructure improvements. Enactment of a new investment code and         
  intellectual property rights protection legislation which would strengthen  
  Suriname's attractiveness to investors has been discussed; the investment law
  was approved by the National Assembly and is currently being revised by the 
  Ministry of Finance.                                                        
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Embassy Officials                                            
  Ambassador--Lisa Bobbie Schreiber Hughes                                    
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Thomas Genton                                      
  Military Liaison Officer--Willard T. Green LCDR                             
  Political/Economic Office--Jesse L. Sanders                                 
  Management Officer--David Lamontagne                                        
  Consular Officer--Gwendolyn S. Webb                                         
  Police Attaché--Susan Nave                                                  
  Regional Security Officer--Jason Kight                                      
  Peace Corps Country Director--Ann Conway                                    
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo is located at Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129,  
  P.O. Box 1821, Paramaribo, Suriname (tel. 597-472900, 597-476459; fax: 597- 
  410025).                                                                    
                                                                       
  Other Contact Information                                                   
  U.S. Department of Commerce                                                 
  International Trade Administration                                          
  Office of Latin America and the Caribbean                                   
  14th and Constitution, NW                                                   
  Washington, DC 20230                                                        
  Tel: 202-482-1658, 202-USA-TRADE                                            
  Fax: 202-482-0464                                                           
                                                                       
  Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA)                                    
  1818 N Street, NW Suite 310                                                 
  Washington, DC 20036                                                        
  Tel: 202-466-7464                                                           
  Fax: 202-822-0075                                                           
                                                                       
  U.S. Department of State                                                    
  Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs                                        
  Office of Caribbean Affairs                                                 
  2201 C Street, NW                                                           
  Washington, DC                                                              
  Tel: 202-647-4719                                                           
                                                                       
  TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION                                             
  The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans
  traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information Sheets, Public   
  Announcements, and Travel Warnings. Consular Information Sheets exist for all
  countries and include information on entry and exit requirements, currency  
  regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political       
  disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
  Public Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly about    
  terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that  
  pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
  are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel 
  to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.        
                                                                       
  For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad  
  should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet
  web site at http://www.travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution,
  Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs    
  Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
  safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov. For    
  additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/     
  Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.                                  
                                                                       
  The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or residing
  abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or
  at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your
  presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an 
  emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security 
  conditions.                                                                 
                                                                       
  Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained 
  by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular   
  toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.           
                                                                       
  The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of   
  State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport         
  information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service   
  representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 7:00 
  a.m. to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.           
                                                                       
  Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for 
  Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
  (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the
  most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements,
  and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A   
  booklet entitled "Health Information for International Travel" (HHS         
  publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government       
  Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.                 
                                                                       
  Further Electronic Information                                              
  Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://          
  www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global     
  access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background    
  Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of 
  Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
  provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies  
  working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov                      
                                                                       
  Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market    
  information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free
  export counseling, help with the export process, and more.                  
  STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides   
  authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from  
  the Federal government. The site includes current and historical            
  trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, 
  and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank.   

 

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