In Brussels, Belgium, President Chan Santokhi has arrived. Since then, he has participated in a number of gatherings, including one with representatives from industry associations, global financial institutions, and governments. Both today and tomorrow, the Head of State will be present at the EU-CELAC Summit. After an eight-year hiatus, the conference of the heads of state or government of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC) and their European Union (EU) counterparts is taking place once more.
The EU and CELAC have not partnered in recent years, according to Minister Albert Ramdin of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation, because of factors like Covid. In addition to a meeting with the CEO of the CAF Bank, the president also had a meeting with the top man of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which financial institution is already widely active in Suriname. “The president has spoken to the CEOs of both organizations and a delegation from CAF (Charities Aid Foundation ) will soon travel to Suriname to hold further talks about possible admission of Suriname to the bank,” said Minister Ramdin. He has stated via the Suriname Communications Service that the financing of important development projects in the interest of the development of the country will then be discussed more widely.
Santokhi also had a preparatory meeting in Brussels with his delegation about the activities that will start today. “It has become clear that, in addition to the official programme, there is ample opportunity to have bilateral meetings,” Ramdin notes. Talks with President Emmanuel Macron of France and outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands are on the agenda. The head of state also exchanged views with President Irfaan Ali on the bilateral relationship between Suriname and Guyana as well as on a number of issues affecting the region. “These were positive and constructive talks aimed at progress, increasing our capacity to create more labor, especially in agriculture,” said Minister Ramdin. He announces that a Guyanese delegation will soon be coming to Suriname to hold further talks.
The head of state has given an extensive interview in Brussels to a magazine that focuses on diplomacy. The conversation concerned the various aspects of Suriname’s foreign policy. Furthermore, President Santokhi symbolically received a check worth 2.5 million euros in the context of water supply in the interior. It is a donation from the government of Flanders. The projects will be carried out by the Belgian water supply company BOSAQ, which is already developing activities in Suriname. Ramdin: “BOSAQ is prepared to provide drinking water for the entire country with local partners. That is another project that will soon be started in collaboration with partners in Suriname.”