PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Suriname and Guyana have agreed to accelerate the construction of a long-planned bridge over the Corantijn River and to revive stalled border negotiations.
Presidents Irfaan Ali of Guyana and Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of Suriname during their talks.In a high-level meeting held in the Surinamese border town of Nieuw Nickerie, President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of Suriname and President Irfaan Ali of Guyana reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to resolving outstanding territorial matters through peaceful dialogue and to pushing forward with key cross-border infrastructure projects.
In a joint statement, they recognized the “transformative potential for trade, tourism, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges” of the bridge between Suriname and Guyana, over the Corantijn (Corentyne) River.
They pledged to continue “close coordination to address outstanding legal, technical and financial matters”. According to the statement, this bilateral initiative is also an integral part of the interconnectivity within the Amazon region.
Alongside the infrastructure push, both leaders recommitted to peacefully settling their longstanding border issues, with full respect for international law. They agreed that the chairs of their respective border commissions would meet urgently, with the 7th Meeting of the Suriname-Guyana Joint Border Commission to be convened before the end of 2025.
The bilateral meeting also delivered commitments in several other strategic areas. The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as in renewable energy and electricity interconnection.
“The two sides committed to exploring joint ventures, knowledge-sharing mechanisms, and investment opportunities that would advance their respective national energy agendas while contributing to regional energy resilience,” the statement said.
They also pledged to explore joint economic ventures, with a focus on boosting trade and investment, and improving the ease of doing business.
On agriculture and fisheries, the leaders announced a new joint commission to be formed before the end of this year to enhance cooperation on fisheries. There will be agricultural collaboration under the Strategic Dialogue and Cooperation Platform (SDCP).
The presidents further emphasized the importance of the Canawaima Ferry Service, which connects the two countries via the Corantijn River, to the well-being of border communities, the facilitation of bilateral trade and movement of people and goods.
“They agreed on the urgent need to review its operation with the aim of improving and strengthening the reliability and efficiency of the service. Both heads also confirmed their willingness to collaborate more closely on the regional ferry project to facilitate regional integration,” the joint statement said.
Both Heads of State committed to reconvening the SDCP, the primary framework guiding bilateral relations, “within the shortest possible time.” Guyana’s and Suriname’s foreign ministers have been instructed to monitor implementation and report progress directly to the presidents.
In the joint statement, the leaders emphasized their dedication to promoting the region as a zone of peace through dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful resolution of conflicts in accordance with international law.
