# Foreign relations of Suriname

As part of the foreign relations of Suriname, the country is a participant in numerous international organizations.

## Border disputes

The country claims an area in French Guiana between Litani River and Marouini River (both headwaters of the Lawa). Suriname also claims an area in Guyana between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Koetari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne).

## International organization participation

Suriname is a member of numerous international organizations. Among them, since gaining independence, Suriname has become a member of the UN, the OAS, and the Non-Aligned Movement. Suriname is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market and the Association of Caribbean States. It is associated with the European Union through the Lomé Convention. Suriname participates in the Amazonian Pact, a grouping of the countries of the Amazon basin that focuses on protection of the Amazon region's natural resources from environmental degradation.
Reflecting its status as a major bauxite producer, Suriname is a member of the International Bauxite Association. The country also belongs to the Caribbean Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America, the Forum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Suriname became a member of the Islamic Development Bank in 1998, under the Wijdenbosch government. In 2003, Suriname joined the Nederlandse Taalunie (Dutch language union).
Suriname has been a member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) since the group's founding in 1992.

## Regional and international agreements

Bilateral agreements with several countries of the region, covering diverse areas of cooperation, have underscored the government's interest in strengthening regional ties. The return to Suriname from French Guiana of about 8,000 refugees of the 1986–91 civil war between the military and domestic insurgents has improved relations with French authorities. Longstanding border disputes with Guyana and French Guiana remain unresolved. Negotiations with the Government of Guyana brokered by the Jamaican Prime Minister in 2000 did not produce an agreement but the countries agreed to restart talks after Guyanese national elections in 2001. In January 2002 the presidents of Suriname and Guyana met in Suriname and agreed to resume negotiations, establishing the Suriname-Guyana border commission to begin meeting in May 2002. An earlier dispute with Brazil ended amicably after formal demarcation of the border.
In May 1997, then-President Wijdenbosch joined US President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever US-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean - Outlining a framework for cooperation on justice and counter narcotics issues, finance, development, and trade.

## Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Suriname maintains diplomatic relations with:
Date :
| 1 | Ghana | 24 November 1975 |
| 2 | Guyana | 24 November 1975 |
| 3 | South Korea | 24 November 1975 |
| 4 | Mexico | 25 November 1975 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 25 November 1975 |
| 6 | Venezuela | 31 November 1975 |
| 7 | India | 23 January 1976 |
| 8 | United States | 23 January 1976 |
| 9 | Indonesia | 24 January 1976 |
| 10 | Israel | 24 February 1976 |
| 11 | Brazil | 3 March 1976 |
| 12 | United Kingdom | 31 March 1976 |
| 13 | China | 17 May 1976 |
| 14 | Libya | 17 May 1976 |
| 15 | Syria | 19 May 1976 |
| 16 | Nicaragua | 24 June 1976 |
| 17 | Turkey | 29 June 1976 |
| 18 | Czech Republic | 30 June 1976 |
| 19 | Serbia | 9 July 1976 |
| 20 | Spain | 9 July 1976 |
| 21 | France | 25 August 1976 |
| 22 | Belgium | 1 October 1976 |
| 23 | Canada | 2 November 1976 |
| 24 | Japan | 2 November 1976 |
| 25 | Russia | 2 November 1976 |
| 26 | Greece | 6 November 1976 |
| 27 | Norway | 27 January 1977 |
| 28 | Barbados | 7 February 1977 |
| 39 | Egypt | 23 February 1977 |
| 30 | Romania | 10 March 1977 |
| 31 | Portugal | 2 March 1977 |
| 32 | Pakistan | 7 April 1977 |
| 33 | Austria | 3 May 1977 |
| 34 | Chile | 7 May 1977 |
| 35 | Hungary | 7 May 1977 |
| 36 | Argentina | 23 June 1977 |
| 37 | Gambia | 17 October 1977 |
| 38 | Trinidad and Tobago | 16 January 1978 |
| 39 | Iraq | 25 February 1978 |
| 40 | Sweden | 15 March 1978 |
| 41 | Bolivia | 22 June 1978 |
| 42 | Colombia | 22 June 1978 |
| 43 | Ecuador | 22 June 1978 |
| 44 | Peru | 22 June 1978 |
| 45 | Tanzania | 30 June 1978 |
| 46 | Costa Rica | 1 March 1979 |
| 47 | Dominica | 1 March 1979 |
| 48 | Dominican Republic | 1 March 1979 |
| 49 | El Salvador | 1 March 1979 |
| 50 | Guatemala | 1 March 1979 |
| 51 | Grenada | 1 March 1979 |
| 52 | Haiti | 1 March 1979 |
| 53 | Honduras | 1 March 1979 |
| 54 | Panama | 1 March 1979 |
| 55 | Uruguay | 9 March 1979 |
| 56 | Italy | 15 March 1979 |
| 57 | Cuba | 23 March 1979 |
| 58 | Switzerland | 11 July 1979 |
| 59 | Bahamas | 29 August 1979 |
| 60 | Nigeria | 3 June 1980 |
| 61 | Cyprus | 25 July 1980 |
| 62 | Saint Lucia | 6 November 1980 |
| 63 | Denmark | 27 November 1980 |
| 64 | Algeria | 20 March 1982 |
| 65 | North Korea | 10 October 1982 |
| 66 | Mozambique | 10 October 1982 |
| 67 | Bangladesh | 8 November 1983 |
| 68 | Togo | 8 November 1983 |
| 69 | Angola | 6 September 1985 |
| 70 | Zimbabwe | 20 December 1985 |
| 71 | Thailand | 24 February 1987 |
| 72 | Antigua and Barbuda | 10 October 1989 |
| 73 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 10 October 1989 |
| 74 | Germany | 31 August 1990 |
| 75 | Namibia | 15 November 1990 |
| 76 | Paraguay | 20 November 1992 |
| 77 | Malaysia | 2 July 1993 |
| 78 | Poland | 24 May 1993 |
| – | Holy See | 16 February 1994 |
| 79 | South Africa | 30 February 1995 |
| 80 | Lebanon | 26 April 1995 |
| 81 | Australia | 19 January 1996 |
| 82 | Singapore | 15 April 1996 |
| 83 | Slovenia | 22 August 1997 |
| 84 | Croatia | 17 November 1997 |
| 85 | Qatar | 24 November 1997 |
| 86 | Iran | 11 December 1997 |
| 87 | Philippines | 16 December 1997 |
| 88 | Vietnam | 19 December 1997 |
| 89 | Senegal | 17 April 1998 |
| 90 | Belize | 13 May 1998 |
| 91 | Brunei | 22 February 1999 |
| 92 | Saudi Arabia | 24 February 1999 |
| – | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 30 April 1999 |
| 93 | Armenia | 24 June 1999 |
| 94 | Turkmenistan | 25 June 1999 |
| 95 | Oman | 13 July 1999 |
| 96 | Sudan | 10 September 1999 |
| 97 | United Arab Emirates | 17 October 1999 |
| 98 | Bahrain | 10 November 1999 |
| 99 | Azerbaijan | 11 February 2000 |
| 100 | Slovakia | 12 March 2002 |
| 101 | Morocco | 28 July 2004 |
| 102 | Bulgaria | 20 September 2004 |
| 103 | Iceland | 9 November 2004 |
| 104 | Estonia | 21 June 2005 |
| 105 | Finland | 28 June 2005 |
| 106 | Guinea | 28 August 2006 |
| 107 | Ukraine | 20 September 2006 |
| 108 | North Macedonia | 12 April 2007 |
| 109 | Botswana | 6 December 2007 |
| 110 | Maldives | 23 October 2008 |
| 111 | Latvia | 20 May 2009 |
| 112 | Belarus | 2 June 2009 |
| 113 | Luxembourg | 1 February 2010 |
| 114 | Montenegro | 14 May 2010 |
| 115 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 21 June 2010 |
| 116 | Georgia | 27 May 2011 |
| 117 | Zambia | 2 September 2011 |
| 118 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 11 October 2011 |
| 119 | Cambodia | 31 October 2011 |
| 120 | Fiji | 21 December 2011 |
| 121 | Equatorial Guinea | 12 January 2012 |
| 122 | Solomon Islands | 10 August 2012 |
| 123 | Samoa | 16 November 2012 |
| 124 | Sri Lanka | 16 November 2012 |
| 125 | Lithuania | 26 March 2013 |
| 126 | Moldova | 5 April 2013 |
| 127 | Kazakhstan | 11 April 2013 |
| 128 | Eswatini | 7 June 2013 |
| 129 | Mongolia | 27 September 2013 |
| 130 | New Zealand | 25 March 2014 |
| 131 | Ivory Coast | 18 November 2015 |
| 132 | Kyrgyzstan | 23 September 2016 |
| 133 | Tajikistan | 2 October 2018 |
| 134 | Nepal | 11 October 2018 |
| 135 | Kenya | 24 September 2019 |
| 136 | San Marino | 8 October 2019 |
| 137 | Rwanda | 14 October 2019 |
| 138 | Ireland | 19 November 2019 |
| 139 | Djibouti | 21 February 2020 |
| 140 | Mauritius | 21 March 2022 |
| 141 | Cape Verde | 12 December 2022 |
| 142 | Malta | 18 May 2023 |
| 143 | Kuwait | 1 February 2024 |
| 144 | Marshall Islands | 28 May 2024 |
| 145 | Seychelles | 22 September 2024 |
| 146 | Uzbekistan | 21 February 2025 |

## Bilateral relations

| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
| Barbados | 8 March 1978 | See Barbados–Suriname relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 8 March 1978. In 2009 both nations formed a Joint Commission to improve relations between both countries and expand in various areas of cooperation. Barbados is accredited to Suriname from Bridgetown and has an honorary consulate in Paramaribo. Suriname is accredited to Barbados from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and has an honorary consulate in Bridgetown. |
| Belize | 13 May 1998 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 May 1998. Both countries are full members of Caribbean Community and of Organization of American States. |
| Brazil | | See Brazil–Suriname relations Brazil has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in Brasília, and a consulate in Belém. |
| Canada | 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations in November 1975. Both country are full members of the Organization of American States. |
| China | | See China–Suriname relations China has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in Beijing. |
| Cuba | | See Cuba–Suriname relations Cuba has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in Havana. |
| Dominica | | Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States and of the Caribbean Community. |
| France | | See France–Suriname relations France has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in Paris and a consulate-general in Cayenne. |
| Ghana | 24 November 1975 | See Ghana–Suriname relations |
| Grenada | | Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States and of the Caribbean Community. |
| Guyana | | See Guyana–Suriname relations Guyana has an embassy in Paramaribo and a consulate-general in Nieuw Nickerie. Suriname has an embassy in Georgetown. |
| India | | See India–Suriname relations India has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in New Delhi. |
| Indonesia | | See Indonesia–Suriname relations Indonesia has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in Jakarta. |
| Japan | 2 November 1976 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 November 1976. Japan is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Suriname is accredited to Japan from its embassy in Beijing, China. |
| Mexico | 1975 | See Mexico–Suriname relations Mexico is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and has an honorary consulate in Paramaribo. Suriname is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C.; United States. |
| Netherlands | 25 November 1975 | See Netherlands–Suriname relations Netherlands has an embassy in Paramaribo. Suriname has an embassy in The Hague and consulates-general in Amsterdam and in Willemstad, Curaçao. |
| Russia | | The nations have begun discussing cooperation in the areas of agriculture, fishing, shipbuilding, education, along with trade. In October 2013, the Surinamese foreign minister, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle visited Moscow for talks on concluding military and joint law enforcement training. |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | | Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States and of the Caribbean Community. |
| Switzerland | 1979 | See Suriname–Switzerland relations Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1979. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | | See Suriname–Trinidad and Tobago relations Both nations are members of CARICOM Both were once a part of the British Empire |
| Turkey | 1976 | See Suriname–Turkey relations Turkey is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Trade volume between the two countries was US$18.2 million in 2019 (Suriname's exports/imports: 0.1/18.1 million USD). |
| United Kingdom | 1976 | See Suriname–United Kingdom relations United Kingdom is accredited to Suriname from its embassy in Georgetown, Guyana. Suriname has an embassy in London. |
| United States | | See Suriname–United States relations Suriname has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and a consulate-general in Miami. United States has an embassy in Paramaribo. |
| Venezuela | | See Suriname–Venezuela relations Suriname has an embassy in Caracas. Venezuela has an embassy in Paramaribo. |