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Paramaribo, Suriname, October 22, 2026 (PAHO) - The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Representation in Suriname today convened ambassadors and representatives of Brazil, France, Guyana, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United States of America, as well as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), under the theme “From Strategic Priorities to Partnership Opportunities.” The working breakfast presented the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for Suriname 2026–2030. Participants explored how their current and planned cooperation can support its implementation.
Developed jointly with the national authorities and endorsed in September 2026, the CCS guides PAHO’s cooperation with Suriname over the next five years.
“The CCS is not simply a PAHO planning document. It is a shared strategic framework that reflects Suriname’s nationally defined health priorities and provides a basis for coordinated action over the next five years,” said Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director of PAHO, who joined the meeting virtually.
The Strategy builds on Suriname’s achievements, including its certification as malaria-free by the World Health Organization in 2025, the first country in the Amazon Basin to reach this milestone. It also addresses persistent challenges: noncommunicable diseases cause 78% of deaths in the country, and the health workforce and the resilience of health services to climate-related threats need strengthening.
During the discussion, partners identified areas of common interest, including cross-border disease surveillance and laboratory capacity, the health workforce, primary health care, noncommunicable diseases and mental health, immunization, access to medicines, and climate resilience. They stressed the importance of regular information sharing and coordination to avoid duplication and close gaps.
“Our purpose is not simply to present the Strategy, but to begin a practical dialogue on how its priorities align with and complement your institutions’ current and planned cooperation,” said Yafflo Ouattara, PAHO Representative in Suriname. “We are not seeking immediate commitments today. Our aim is to identify areas of common interest, promote complementarity, and establish a practical basis for continued engagement.”
Dr. Sealey-Thomas noted that the success of the meeting would be measured “not by the number of commitments announced today, but by the quality of the areas of convergence identified and our collective ability to translate them into focused and sustained action.”
As next steps, PAHO will hold follow-up meetings with interested partners on specific CCS deliverables. It will also convene regular partner coordination meetings in support of the Government of the Republic of Suriname.
