Kenji Okamura, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued a statement this week following a three-day visit to the Republic of Suriname. During his trip, Okamura met with the republic’s president, vice president, and various officials.
Suriname is a South American country located on the northern coast. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, it was once a plantation colony of the Netherlands. The country gained independence in 1975 but was governed by military regimes for over a decade. A civilian constitution was approved in 1987, only to be followed by another coup three years later. The country shares its borders with the Atlantic Ocean, French Guyana, Brazil, and Guyana.
In his post-visit statement, Okamura said:
"I am delighted to visit Suriname for the first time to see first-hand the progress that the country has made. I would like to thank President Santohki, Vice President Brunswijk, Finance Minister Raghoebarsing, Governor Roemer, and the Surinamese people for their warm welcome and hospitality. The government is implementing wide-reaching reforms to restore macroeconomic stability, address long-standing vulnerabilities and put Suriname onto a path of sustainable and inclusive growth. This home-grown economic reform program is supported by the IMF through the Extended Fund Facility arrangement," as per his statement released on Feb. 13.
The Republic of Suriname houses approximately .632 million people and has been an IMF member since April 27, 1978. The most recent country report and Article IV report were issued in December 1993 as per information available on IMF's country page on Suriname.
Okamura further stated in his Feb. 13 announcement: "During our meeting, President Santohki and I discussed Suriname’s economic opportunities and challenges. I congratulated the President for strong implementation of policies and reforms under the program which helped achieve the long-awaited macroeconomic stabilization. I discussed with the authorities the need to maintain fiscal prudence to put debt on a firmly downward path and build resilience to future shocks. It is important to persevere with removing wasteful and inefficient subsidies, while at the same time, expand social assistance programs so that the poor and vulnerable are protected."