Delegations of the public and private sectors of Barbados and the Republic of Suriname led by Senator. Dr. the Most Honourable Jerome X. Walcott. FB, JP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Senior Minister coordinating Social and Environmental Policy and His Excellency Albert R. Ramdin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation respectively met in Barbados at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Friday April 8, 2022.
This ministerial dialogue also included the participation of the Honourable Kerrie D. Symmonds M.P., Minister of Energy and Business Development, and Senior Minister coordinating the Productive Sectors, the Honourable Indar Weir M.P., Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security and the Honourable Sandra Husbands M.P., Minister of State in Foreign Trade and Business Development from Barbados. His Excellency, Armand Achaibersing, Minister of Finance and Planning and His Excellency Parmanand Sewdien, Minister of Agriculture, Husbandry and Fisheries, also represented the Republic of Suriname in the discussions.
The strong historical and cultural links were highlighted as they recalled the tenets of the Brokopondo Progamme for Cooperation 2018-2021.
They resolved to implement new initiatives in the areas of political consultation and collaboration, agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries, trade and investment, transport and tourism, natural resources, energy and the environment, as well as education and training, youth and the creative industries.
The two sides agreed to elevate the cooperation at the highest political level aimed at arriving at practical and tangible results from this partnership.
In addition, an action plan will be developed with clear timelines and targets to be executed by relevant stakeholders from both Parties.
To this end, it is envisaged that both leaders will launch a cooperation framework.
The Barbados and Surinamese authorities agreed that solidarity, dialogue and cooperation are crucial in order to jointly address matters of mutual concern at the bilateral, regional and global levels.
