Suriname and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) signed the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) 2026-2031 in New York on Monday, 21 September 2026. The programme is intended to contribute to increased local processing of raw materials and agricultural products, the development of light industry and the creation of more jobs in Suriname.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly by UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller and Minister Andrew Baasaron of Economische Zaken, Ondernemerschap en Technologische Innovatie (EZOTI; Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation).
More added value in Suriname
The PCP is regarded as a five-year roadmap for the further development of Suriname’s production sector. An important premise is that raw materials and agricultural products will increasingly be processed domestically into semi-finished and finished products, rather than being exported mainly unprocessed.
By enabling more production and processing to take place in Suriname, a larger share of the economic value is intended to remain in the country. The programme focuses, among other things, on the development of light industry and the strengthening of local production capacity.
Jobs and support for SMEs
The cooperation is also intended to lead to more and better jobs, with particular attention being paid to young people and women. Small and medium-sized enterprises are also to receive further support through the programme.
In addition to economic development, sustainability is an important component of the partnership. Attention will also continue to be paid to the preservation of the Surinamese rainforest and Suriname’s position as a country with high forest cover and a low deforestation rate, the so-called HFLD status.
The PCP runs from 2026 through 2031 and is intended to guide cooperation between Suriname and UNIDO in the areas of industrialisation, entrepreneurship, local production and sustainable economic development.
