President concludes busy international agenda this year

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President Chan Santokhi is wrapping up an intensive international travel schedule this year. Last Friday, Santokhi departed for Azerbaijan to attend the COP29 climate conference. On his way back to Suriname, he will make a two-day stop in the Netherlands for meetings with compatriots, the business community, and investors.
The climate summit in Azerbaijan will also be attended by the Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment (ROM), Marciana Dasai, and Minister Albert Ramdin of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation (BIBIS).
Santokhi is set to address this high-level meeting as the first speaker on November 13. The President is expected to strongly advocate Suriname’s stance on the impacts of climate change. At the summit in the capital, Baku, the launch of the G-Zero Alliance of carbon-neutral countries—Suriname, Panama, Bhutan, Madagascar, and Comoros—will also take place, focusing on encouraging nations to reduce their emission levels.
During a press conference held by the Ministry of BIBIS, Minister Ramdin addressed recent developments in Suriname’s foreign policy. Regarding climate issues, he emphasized the importance of taking this matter seriously in light of recent phenomena such as droughts, floods, fires, and other climate-related problems. Next year’s climate summit will be held in Brazil, and preparations are already underway.
On November 20, President Santokhi will also travel to Guyana for a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside other Caricom heads of state and government, as part of the India-Caricom summit. Minister Ramdin indicated that the agenda will include extensive opportunities for collaboration between India and the region, with Santokhi also holding a bilateral meeting with the Indian prime minister.
On November 22 and 23, an important Caricom security conference will take place, also in Georgetown, Guyana. Although this meeting is intended for Caricom leaders, the President will return directly to Suriname following his meeting with Modi to prepare for Srefidensi. Ramdin mentioned that he does not expect the President to make any further international trips this year, nor likely in the lead-up to the 2025 elections, unless something urgent arises.