PM Mercelina meets President of Suriname Geerlings-Simons at UNGA

NEW YORK--On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina of Sint Maarten held a high-level bilateral meeting with Her Excellency Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, the first female President of Suriname.

Also present were Curaçao’s Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, Aruba’s Minister of Tourism Wendrick C. Cicilia, and Stuart Johnson, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, underscoring the Dutch Caribbean’s joint interest in deeper ties with Suriname.

Talks centered on three priority areas: launching direct flights between Sint Maarten and Suriname, engaging the Surinamese diaspora in Sint Maarten to strengthen sectors such as health and education, and expanding cooperation in agriculture and trade to support food security and economic diversification.

“This meeting is not only about government-to-government relations; it is also about people-to-people connections,” Prime Minister Mercelina said. “The Surinamese community has made Sint Maarten their home, and through this cooperation we are building stronger bridges that recognize their contributions.”

He added that by initiating the talks during UNGA, Sint Maarten is “taking a proactive step in shaping stronger bilateral and regional partnerships” that promote resilience, prosperity, and shared growth.

Both sides agreed to pursue follow-up actions aimed at strengthening ties between Sint Maarten, Suriname, and the wider Caribbean.

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