Minister Stephen Tsang of Openbare Werken en Ruimtelijke Ordening (OWRO) participated in the Amazon Cities Forum 2026 in Paramaribo on October 28. The international forum focused on the development of sustainable cities in the Amazon region, with particular attention to spatial planning, housing, infrastructure and governmental cooperation.
Tsang participated as a panel member in the plenary discussion ‘Governance for the Amazon: Towards an Integrated Urban Agenda’. The meeting addressed the governance challenges faced by cities in the Amazon region and the importance of an integrated approach to urban development.
The Amazon Cities Forum brought together representatives of local authorities from eight Amazon countries. The aim was to exchange knowledge and experiences and strengthen regional cooperation in sustainable urban development.
Focus on spatial planning and infrastructure
Topics such as housing, infrastructure and spatial planning formed key components of the programme. The central question was how governments can guide urban growth in a sustainable and coherent manner.
For Suriname, these themes are also relevant, given the challenges in urban expansion, infrastructure development and spatial planning.
The forum was organised in cooperation with the Surinamese government and with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The meeting gave participating countries the opportunity to share experiences and explore opportunities for further cooperation.
Regional cooperation since 2023
The Amazon Cities Forum was established in August 2023 in Belém, Brazil, with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The initiative brings together local authorities from the eight Amazon countries to jointly seek solutions to issues in urban development, climate change, infrastructure and environmental protection.
The platform is linked to broader cooperation among the member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO). Through the Amazonia Forever programme, the IDB supports, among other things, knowledge exchange, capacity building and the development of sustainable urban projects.
For Suriname, Paramaribo and Nickerie are involved in the forum. The government is also exploring possibilities for other districts to participate. Minister Miquella Huur of Regionale Ontwikkeling previously stressed that the benefits of the cooperation should not remain limited to the areas already involved. According to the Surinamese government, Sipaliwini could also benefit from international knowledge exchange and technical support.
The added value for Suriname lies, among other things, in the opportunity to gain expertise on climate-resilient infrastructure, spatial planning, waste management and sustainable housing. In addition, the network can assist in preparing projects for which international funding is being sought.
Although the forum has existed since 2023, it has not been established from which year the Surinamese districts involved have formally participated. It is also unclear which concrete investments or projects have so far resulted directly from this cooperation for Suriname.
The meeting of October 28 and 29, 2026, in Paramaribo therefore also provides an opportunity to examine how Suriname intends to translate regional cooperation into concrete improvements for the population.
