Suriname and El PAcCTO seek to strengthen cooperation against organised crime

Minister of Justice and Security Harish Monorath held talks on this on Monday, November 9, 2026, with a delegation from the international cooperation programme. Among other things, the discussions addressed combating the illegal firearms trade, money laundering, cybercrime and strengthening the prison system.

The central question during the meeting was how Suriname can receive more concrete support in implementing its security policy. According to Monorath, cooperation must go beyond organising training sessions and exchanging knowledge. The minister wants international support to make a tangible contribution to strengthening Suriname’s judicial and security services.

Approach to organised crime central

An important point of attention during the discussion was combating organised crime. Suriname is seeking support, among other things, in curbing the illegal firearms trade and tracing financial flows connected to criminal activities.

The fight against money laundering and the confiscation of criminally obtained assets were also discussed. In addition, the approach to environmental crime and cybercrime was addressed, two areas in which specialised knowledge and international cooperation are important.

According to the ministry, Suriname needs technical support and capacity building to better equip the services involved for increasingly complex forms of crime.

Strengthening the prison system and international legal assistance

In addition to crime fighting, attention was paid during the meeting to strengthening the prison system. International legal assistance was also identified as an important area of cooperation. International legal assistance is important, among other things, in criminal investigations in which suspects, financial transactions or evidence are located in different countries. Better cooperation between judicial authorities can contribute to more effective investigation and prosecution of cross-border crime.

Suriname has indicated that it is open to targeted training, technical assistance and the deployment of international experts.

European programme supports crime fighting

El PAcCTO 2.0 is a cooperation programme funded by the European Union that supports countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in combating organised and cross-border crime. The programme focuses, among other things, on strengthening cooperation between police, judicial authorities and other relevant institutions. It relies on knowledge exchange, institutional strengthening and international cooperation.

The delegation that visited Minister Monorath consisted of director Javier Samper, Caribbean strategic expert Matie Verhoeven and field officer Luuk Bruijn.

Cooperation must produce concrete results

With the visit, both parties aim to identify opportunities for further cooperation and translate them into concrete support for Suriname. The discussions are taking place against the backdrop of increasing attention to crime and security in Suriname. The government recently announced additional measures to intensify crime fighting, including a greater deployment of security services.

According to the objectives of the talks, cooperation with El PAcCTO can contribute to the structural strengthening of judicial institutions and the approach to cross-border crime. It has not yet been announced which concrete projects, financial resources or forms of technical support will result from the discussions.