Bilateral relations are friendly: cooperation takes place mainly in the form of development-policy and cultural projects and within the United Nations framework. A regular political dialogue has been held between Suriname and the European Union (EU) since 2012.

Although bilateral trade has continuously grown over the past few years, its potential has not yet been fully realised. For a long time, owing to continuing political instabilities, the country’s wealth of natural resources (oil, gold, bauxite) was not used to improve the living conditions of large sections of the population. Now, recent discoveries of oil off the coast of Suriname are strengthening the hope of a swift economic upturn as seen in neighbouring Guyana. This coincides with a fresh political start following the assumption of office in May 2020 of the Santokhi Government, which is committed above all to reviving the economy and fighting corruption. Cooperation and trade accords exist within the framework of the agreements between the EU and the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) states as well as between the EU and CARIFORUM (CARICOM member states plus the Dominican Republic). Suriname and the states of the Caribbean hope that the signing of the EU’s new partnership agreement with the states of Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean (Post-Cotonou or Samoa Agreement) will bring a further intensification of relations with the EU.

In development cooperation, Suriname has indirect links with Germany through regional projects between Germany and CARICOM that focus on sustainable economic development, the promotion of renewable energy, adaptation to climate change and fostering biodiversity. In addition, Germany provides assistance in the region through micro-projects.

Germany supports the CARICOM states in their efforts to combat the proliferation of small arms through the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap. Suriname benefits from the Federal Foreign Office’s Training for International Diplomats programme, with diplomats from the country regularly being invited to participate in its courses.