Europe is not Suriname’s most important export market

Europe is not Suriname’s most important export market. That is why in the next 6 months the government must think long and hard before ratifying the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU). According to the figures from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), there are only 2 European countries in the top 5 export countries of Suriname.

Those two European countries are Switzerland and Belgium. Suriname exported $196 million in goods and services to Switzerland and $95 million in goods and services to Belgium in 2016. The United Arab Emirates sometimes simply called the Emirates is currently Suriname’s most important export country. Official figures indicate that about $287 million in various consumer goods was exported to the Emirates in 2016. The United States of America (USA) ranks second with $228 million in precious metals including gold. Neighboring Guyana is also in Suriname’s top 5 with $66 million in 2016. MP Andre Misiekaba (NDP), the permanent representative of Parliament at the ACP/ EU, is urging the government to take a good look at the figures before committing itself to the EU’s EPA. Ratifying the EPA would mean that Suriname will no longer be able to export to the US and the Emirates without the permission of the EU and the ACP. “Keep in mind that we have only 6 months to make a decision”, said MP Misiekaba. Suriname mainly exports bananas, rice, vegetables, fruit and some gold to the EU. MP Misiekaba wants the government to indicate the quantities that are exported to the EU and if it is also possible to look for other export countries such as Cuba, Brazil, Switzerland, Canada, China and Brazil.