PARAMARIBO, Suriname – President Chandrikapersad Santokhi says the country’s natural resources must contribute to a prosperous future for every Surinamese noting that collaboration at all levels is crucial for the transformation of the energy sector.
NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber presents a copy of his book ‘A Just Transition: Making Energy Poverty History with an Energy Mix’. (Photo: Office of the President)Addressing the two-day Suriname Awareness Symposium 2025 (SAS) that is discussing strategies for the socio-economic development of the country, President Santokhi said collaboration, economic diversification, dialogue platforms and a transformative mindset are needed to achieve that transformation.
“Our natural resources must contribute to a prosperous future for every Surinamese,” he said calling for a diversification of the economy by developing new sectors, such as agriculture, tourism, technology and renewable energy.
He told the delegates of the importance of transparency in the management of natural resources and that revenues from oil and gas should be reinvested in education, health care and infrastructure.
Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation Minister, Albert Ramdin, said that Suriname is at a crucial crossroads needing to choose a future based on renewable energy or sticking to fossil fuels.
He called for a just transition to renewable energy, which not only promotes sustainability but also encourages economic diversification, local empowerment and international cooperation.
Ramdin said Suriname’s potential in hydropower, solar energy and wind called for a joint effort for this transition and that investments in education and training are essential to involve the local population in the development of the renewable energy sector.
He told delegates, the energy sector is “the lifeblood” of economic growth and well-being in Suriname.
Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, said that the energy transition worldwide must find a balance between sustainability and the needs of developing countries. He called on Suriname not to only look at the achievements of Africa, but to learn from their mistakes.
He said he does not believe that the production of oil and gas will make Suriname a carbon bomb and that a country with 94 per cent forest cover is a carbon sink and that production must be sustainable.
The symposium ends later on Tuesday.