The government wants to begin a major improvement of the facilities and services at Johan Adolf Pengelluchthaven in Zanderij in 2027. President Jennifer Simons announced this during her annual address on Wednesday, 30 September. The investment must align with the development of tourism, trade and industry.
According to Simons, infrastructure must connect production areas with people, businesses and markets. The government therefore wants to better align roads and airports with Suriname’s economic development.
For the international airport, she announced a “substantial upgrade of the facilities and services”. The annual address does not state which components will be addressed, how much the work will cost or how it will be financed.
No specific start date or completion deadline has been mentioned either. The commitment concerns starting the upgrade in the 2027 service year.
Attention to European aviation blacklisting
In addition to improving the airport, the government wants to pay extra attention to lifting the European aviation blacklisting. Simons linked those efforts to the importance of air transport for tourism, trade and industry.
According to the president, cooperation between the aviation authority CASAS, the Luchtvaartdienst, TAS and airport management has improved considerably. She expects that cooperation to contribute to the process of lifting the blacklisting.
The annual address does not mention a timeframe within which this must happen and provides no overview of the measures still needed for it. The announced airport upgrade and the approach to the blacklisting are separate processes; the address does not state that improving the airport in itself is sufficient to lift the restrictions.
Better connections with neighbouring countries
In 2027, the government also wants to improve the facilities and services for crossings by boat to Guyana and French Guiana. In addition, Simons announced work on bridge connections between Suriname and the neighbouring countries.
The measures form part of broader efforts to increase accessibility and enable infrastructure to contribute better to economic activities. In the further development of tourism, the government cites accessibility, safety and utilities as important conditions.
For the upgrade of Johan Adolf Pengelluchthaven, further elaboration must clarify which work will actually begin in 2027 and what travellers and airlines will notice as a result.
