Suriname foreign minister held bilateral meeting with Argentina and Islamic Block

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Sunil

Ray Chickerie

In an effort to restart ties with the Islamic world, Suriname’s President Desire Bouterse met with the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Ihsanoglu last year on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. This momentum hasn’t wane. Friday in New York, Suriname’s Foreign Minister, Winston Lackin, pushed his government’s renewed call to expand economic and political cooperation with the Middle East when he met Dr. Ihsanoglu and Senior Strategist of the Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Nadia Verjee at the sidelines of the 67^th UN General Assembly where he sought stronger economic cooperation with the UAE.

When President Bouterse took office in Suriname a few years ago, there were some changes in foreign policy. South to South cooperation became the cornerstone of this policy shift. He stressed the importance of South to South cooperation in an effort to diversify its economic ties. Ties with Brazil, India, China, South Africa andIndonesia were pushed to new levels. “South to South cooperation is very much in line with the thinking and the policies of the current administration,” according toSuriname’s Ambassador to the UN, Mr. Henry MacDonald. He added, “Suriname is pursuing stronger ties with UNASUR, ECLAC as well.”

Lackin today had a busy schedule in New York at the sidelines of the 67^th UN General Assembly. He also held a bilateral meeting with Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Hector Timmerman. The two countries signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement.“The Technical Cooperation agreement withArgentina will among others benefits result in the establishment of an Embassy of Argentina later this year in Paramaribo,” says MacDonald.

With a call from his president to solicit investments from the UAE, Lackin met withthe Senior Strategist of the Minister of State of the UAE, Nadia Verjee. They discussed increasing economic and political ties between the two countries, with emphasis on expanding trade and investment between the countries. According to MacDonald, meeting with the UAE focused on the strengthening of economic ties between the two countries. Dubai port is already in Suriname and now we are looking at different opportunities to build on this success story.”

Moving away from its dependency on Holland and the European Union (EU) became more urgent after the Hague unleashed a public policy to delegitimize Bouterse, and some extremist element in the Dutch government demanding that Suriname end its membership in the OIC to receive an outstanding 8 million Euros left as part of an independence financial package that the former colonial power signed with Suriname in 1975.

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Suriname to intensify Arab South America membership and Islamic Cooperation

Five years ago when the first Arab South America summit took place in Brazil, trade between the two regions was US$11 billion annually and it has almost tripled five years later, to 30 billion. Today, more South American companies and embassies are in the Gulf. It is within this backdrop that the Bouterse administration had decided to intensify its membership in the  Arab South America (ASPA) forum according to State Minister of Suriname, Liakat Errol Alibux who recently represented Suriname at the just concluded Arab South American Summit in Peru.

Alibux told Suriname’ daily, De Ware Tijd last week that it is the priority of his government to intensive and secure  some major investments  with the countries of the East in areas of energy, water and infrastructure.

The two regions can compliment each other to grow economically, he said.  "In the field of energy, the Gulf is equipped."  The Arab League annually imports billions from the rest of the world and is willing to invest in other countries, he stated.

Besides the ASPA forum, Suriname is also a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).  Foreign Minister of Suriname, Winston Lackin during a press conference on Friday, said thatSuriname has settled unpaid dues to the OIC and that his government will actively participate in the OIC. He also indicated that his government is seeking the assistance of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund. Alibux also articulated the benefits from these memberships and cited the example of IsDB funded projects such as the building of clinics in the interior of Suriname.

Information out of Paramaribo indicates major movement to intense Suriname’s political, cultural and economic ties with the Middle and Far East. Suriname is exploring the opening of a mission in the Gulf, appoint non- resident ambassadors in the region, hosting meetings of the OIC and bring political and economic people to Paramaribo to showcase the country’s economic potential.