Suriname should ask Brazil for help with food security and maritime route

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) receives the president of Suriname, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, on an official visit this Thursday (28). The meeting takes place at Palácio do Planalto, starting at 11am.

The visit also marks 50 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Suriname, established in 1976. Since the beginning of Lula's third term, Brazil and Suriname have held 15 high-level meetings, according to Itamaraty.

CNN found that the president of Suriname should ask Brazil for help on two main points: food security, with agreements for the development of domestic production and the expansion of the supply of Brazilian products, and improvement in export infrastructure, with advances in the maritime route that connects the two countries.

There is currently no land connection between Brazil and Suriname, as the border is covered by natural barriers. According to Itamaraty, 93% of Suriname's territory is made up of forests. Therefore, access between the two countries is via air or sea routes, which are still limited.

Due to these logistical limitations, Brazil sent a FAB plane to pick up the Surinamese president and used the flight to deliver humanitarian aid to Suriname, including vaccines, Covid-19 tests and anti-tuberculosis medicines.

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons should then ask for help from Brazil to expand the maritime route. In the South American Integration Routes program, the Ministry of Planning and Budget included Suriname on Route 1, the Guiana Ring. On the Brazilian side, the visit could give concreteness to the route, which would help to integrate the isolated regions of Northern Brazil, facilitate access to the Caribbean and reduce logistical costs for Brazilian exporters.

The president also demonstrated a special interest in the social area and the energy sector. After being received by President Lula, the Surinamese president must visit a CRAS (Social Assistance Reference Center) unit, a housing project run by Minha Casa, Minha Vida and Embrapa Cerrado.

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons assumed the presidency of Suriname in September 2025 and has sought, since the beginning of her administration, to expand regional partnerships in light of the expectation of economic growth driven by oil exploration.

Recently, Suriname discovered large reserves of oil and natural gas in the country. Estimates indicate that the country has between four billion and six billion barrels of oil, in addition to voluminous gas reserves.

Brazil and Suriname will sign 12 acts to expand the bilateral trade agreement, currently considered "very modest" by Itamaraty. See which points should be confirmed:

- Memorandum of understanding on cyber security;
- Amendment to the defense cooperation agreement;
- Memorandum of understanding for carrying out military operations mirrored in the border strip;
- Memorandum of understanding on science, technology and innovation;
- Memorandum on technical cooperation in social policies;
- Memorandum on technical cooperation for universal access to public health; safety of hydroelectric dams;
- Cooperation agreement in combating human trafficking;
- Memorandum of cooperation between the two police forces;
- Letter of intent in maritime transport and port activities;
- Promulgation of the agreement on defense matters.

Source: CNN