Republic of Suriname

Brazilian cooperation with Suriname began shortly after the country's Independence, in 1975.

The presence of a significant Brazilian community in Suriname brings an important human aspect to the bilateral relations. It is estimated that between 15 and 30 thousand Brazilians live in Suriname today, many of whom are involved in mineral exploration activities. The regularization of their immigration status is the subject of high-level political contacts between the two countries and is examined within the scope of the Working Group on Migration and Consular Affairs, created in 2011.

The bilateral agenda for cooperation and technical assistance is broad and traditional. The Brazil-Suriname cooperation program is carried out under the Basic Agreement on Scientific, Technical and Technological Cooperation, signed in Brasilia on June 22, 1976, and has been in effect since November 23, 1976. The program covers projects in the areas of agriculture, geology, institutional development, environment and health. Cooperation in Defense and Security is another important pillar of bilateral relations.

The common border of 593 km has a low population density and there are no roads linking the two countries, mainly because the border is covered by natural barriers (Tumuk Humak Mountains and equatorial forest) and by environmental and indigenous conservation areas. The lack of a navigation and a land routes pose a challenge to the improvement of economic and commercial relations between Brazil and Suriname. Bilateral trade flow, though modest, is relatively diversified, with exchanges of machinery and electrical equipment, chemical products and commodities.

Brazil and Suriname share a seat at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Suriname has obtained the status of Mercosur Associate State on July 2013.

Chronology of bilateral relations

1906 – Signed, in Rio de Janeiro, treaty on the borders between Brazil and then Dutch Guyana, established in Sierra Tumucumaque (May 5)

1976 – Signed the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Trade, the Cultural Agreement and the Basic Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation

1996 – Visit of President Runaldo Venetiaan to Brasilia (January)

1997 – Visit of President Jules Wijdenbosch to Brasilia and São Paulo (February)

2000 – Visit of President Runaldo Venetiaan to Brasilia (August)

2003 – Visit of President Runaldo Venetiaan to Brasilia (July)

2004 – Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Celso Amorim, to Paramaribo. Signature of Migration Regulation Agreement and Extradition Treaty (December)

2005 – Visit of President Lula to Paramaribo, in the context of the CARICOM Summit. Signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Political Consultation Mechanism; a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Agricultural Research; a Protocol of Intent in the Area of Health; a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; a Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and a Complementary Agreement on Migration Regulation (February)

2007 – President Venetiaan participates in the MERCOSUR Summit, in Rio de Janeiro (January)

2007 – I Meeting of the Political Consultation Mechanism, in Paramaribo (July)

2008 – President Runaldo Venetiaan participates in the Extraordinary Meeting of Heads of State and Government in Brasilia. Signature of the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty (May)

2008 – Technical meetings on the Suriname debt equating with Brazil in Paramaribo (September) and Brasilia (November)

2008 – President Runaldo Venetiaan participates in regional Summits (Rio Group, UNASUR and CALC) and maintains bilateral dialogue with President Lula, at Costa do Sauípe, Bahia (December)

2009 – Minister Chief of the Secretariat for Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Ambassador Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães, participates in the inauguration ceremony of  President Desiré Bouterse (August)

2010 – Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs participates in the Celebration of 35 years of the Independence, in Paramaribo (November)

2010 – Participation of President Desiré Bouterse in the of MERCOSUR Summit and bilateral meeting with President Lula, in Foz do Iguaçu (December)

2011 – Participation of President Desiré Bouterse in the inauguration ceremony of President Dilma Rousseff, in Brasilia (January)

2011 – Mission of the National Agency of Petroleum and Eletrobrás to Paramaribo (March)

2011 – Visit of the President of the Central Bank, Gilmore Hoefdraad, to Brasilia (August)

2011 – Vice President Robert Ameerali participates in the International Fair of the Amazon region, in Manaus (October)

2011 – Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Lackin, to Brasilia (November 11)

2012 – Visit of the Minister of Defense, Lamouré Latour, to Brasilia, for a meeting with Minister Celso Amorim (January)

2012 – Visit of Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota to Paramaribo: XV Meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of CARICOM and bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister Lackin and President Bouterse (May 4-5)

2012 – Visit of Vice President Robert Ameerali to Expofeira, in Macapá (August)

2012 – Visit of the Minister of Defense, Ambassador Celso Amorim, to Paramaribo (September)

2013 – Visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Lackin (February 18)

2013 – Visit of the High Representative and Delegation of MERCOSUR, to discuss the steps and guidelines for the accession of Suriname as an Associate State (April 10)

2013 – Signature of the Framework Agreement of Association between MERCOSUR and Suriname, during the Montevideo Summit (July)

2013 – Participation of President Bouterse at the mass celebrated by Pope Francis on the occasion of the 28th World Youth Day, in Rio de Janeiro (July)

2013 – Visit of the President of the Republic to Paramaribo, Suriname, on the occasion of the VII Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Heads of State and Government of UNASUR (August 30)

2014 – President Bouterse attends the opening of the World Cup in São Paulo (July)

2014 –  President Bouterse participates in the BRICS – South American Nations Summit, in Brasília (July)

2016 – Visit of Minister Mauro Vieira to Paramaribo, when he is received by President Dési Bouterse and keeps a working meeting with Foreign Minister Niermala Badrising (March 1)

2018 – The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle, visits Brazil (Brasilia, February 19-20)

2018 – Visit to Brazil of the President of Suriname, Desiré Delano Bouterse (Brasilia, May 2) [Adopted acts]

2018 – Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira visits Suriname (December 14)

2020 - Minister Ernesto Araújo visits Suriname (Paramaribo, November 24-25)