Suriname has begun preparations for the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) chairmanship in the first half of 2027. Minister Melvin Bouva of Buitenlandse Zaken, Internationale Handel en Samenwerking (BIS; Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation) installed the committees responsible for substantive and organisational preparations on Wednesday, 7 October. President Jennifer Simons will assume the chairmanship of the Conference of Heads of Government from 1 January through 30 June 2027.
The committees are also preparing the CARICOM heads of government meeting, which according to the ministry will take place in Paramaribo from 16 to 19 February 2027. Twenty to twenty-five high-ranking officials from the region and beyond are expected to attend. Regional and international media will also attend the meeting.
The logistics committee focuses on protocol, security and organisation. It includes, among others, representatives of the Kabinet van de President and the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. The policy committee is responsible for substantive preparations, including the agenda, speeches and meetings.
Food, energy and connections
During the installation, Bouva identified four priorities for the Surinamese chairmanship: food security, energy security, connectivity and regional integration.
Regarding food security, the emphasis is on the agricultural potential of Suriname and Guyana to contribute to food supplies in the region. In the energy sector, Suriname wants to focus on a combination of oil and gas with solar and wind energy, in order to reduce dependence on external energy sources.
In addition, improved air, water and land connections must support trade, investment, tourism and the free movement of people within the region.
Artificial intelligence on the agenda
Within the priority area of regional integration, Suriname also wants to place artificial intelligence on the CARICOM agenda. This concerns applications in healthcare, education and service provision, with attention to the associated risks.
Suriname also remains the portfolio holder within CARICOM for gender, youth, culture and sports. The new theme of industrialisation and production policy also falls under Suriname’s responsibility.
Bouva called on society to contribute to a successful chairmanship. In Sranantongo, he stressed that this responsibility concerns the entire nation. His call was: “Make Suriname shine.” (Let Suriname shine.)
