President Jennifer Simons held bilateral talks in New York with Rob Jetten, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the meeting on Thursday, September 24, 2026, discussions focused primarily on bilateral relations, the history of slavery, education and healthcare, economic and technical cooperation, and the easing of travel procedures. According to President Simons, the historic state visit by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to Suriname in December 2025 marked a milestone in bilateral relations.
The president stressed that the relationship must continue to develop on the basis of pragmatism, equality, mutual respect and a shared interest. Suriname attaches importance to further shaping recognition, healing and future-oriented cooperation, particularly for Indigenous peoples and descendants of enslaved people. The use of the 66.6 million euros made available by the Netherlands was also discussed. Of this amount, 33.3 million euros is intended for policy interventions to be managed through the Suriname Single Donor Trust Fund (SDTF) with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). According to the president, despite constructive discussions, further coordination proved necessary, causing delays in operationalisation.
Social and economic priority areas were also discussed. In healthcare, Suriname seeks targeted cooperation for capacity building and financing to ensure the sustainability of short-term training programmes for healthcare workers. Education also received attention, particularly vocational training in construction, mechanical engineering, agricultural technology and tourism.
Economic and technical cooperation was also discussed. President Simons pointed to the contribution of the Makandra programme to strengthening institutional capacity within the government and public institutions. According to the head of state, the launch of Makandra 2.0 on July 23, 2026, represents a concrete implementation of agreements made during the state visit. Cultural heritage, trade and investment, security and travel procedures were also discussed. In this context, easing the visa procedure remains important to Suriname. According to President Simons, these areas offer opportunities to further strengthen economic resilience, social development and mutual ties between Suriname and the Netherlands.
