Surinam: Invertir

FDI in Figures

According to the UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2025, FDI inflows to Suriname were negative by USD 27 million in 2023, following another negative flow of USD 63 million one year earlier. At the end of the same period, the FDI stock was estimated at USD 1.82 billion, around 42% of the country’s GDP (compared to 70.4% in 2020). Gold, bauxite, and oil are the main sectors that attract FDI. Recent investments have also been made in palm oil. The main investing countries are the United States, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Recent investment activity in Suriname is primarily focused on the country’s emerging offshore oil sector. In June 2025, Petronas (Malaysia) signed a production-sharing contract for Block 66 and began drilling in Block 52 in July. TotalEnergies (France) acquired a 25% stake in Block 53 in June 2025 and is leading the USD 10.5 billion Gran Morgu project, with Staatsolie holding a 20% stake financed via a USD 515.8 million bond issued in March 2025. APA Corp. (USA) plans to invest around USD 200 million in 2025, while Hess Corp. (USA) exited Block 59 in July 2025, returning it to Staatsolie. In June 2024, the Islamic Development Bank, along with Saudi and OPEC funds, committed over USD 105 million to upgrade electricity networks in Paramaribo and Nickerie. Chinalco (China) signed a deal in November 2022 for a planned USD 426 million bauxite project, pending parliamentary approval. Between 2022 and 2025, China also funded a USD 10.5 million agricultural technical centre in Saramacca. Broader Chinese engagement includes around USD 400 million in bilateral trade and projects such as the USD 28 million Regional Hospital Wanica, reinforcing Suriname’s position as an emerging destination for energy, infrastructure, and resource-driven FDI.
The Surinamese government actively supports and promotes foreign investment. To attract FDI, the government has outlined plans to modernise the country's institutional and legal frameworks to protect investors and eliminate restrictions regarding investment income transfers. Except for the oil sector, Suriname has no economic or industrial policies that discriminate against foreign investors or foreign-owned investments; oil ownership, however, is restricted by law to the State Oil Company Suriname (Staatsolie), and foreign investment is possible through exploration and production sharing contracts with Staatsolie. No law requires Surinamese nationals to own a share of foreign investments, nor is there a requirement for said share of foreign equity to be reduced over time. The low level of investment in Suriname, despite its rich natural resources, can be explained by the country's poor business environment, which is hampered by various factors, including a lack of clarity in the concession and tender awarding processes, corruption, limitations in institutional capacity, and a general lack of transparency. Suriname's Investment and Trade Agency (SITA) serve as the country's primary promotion agency. It functions as an autonomous state-owned entity under the oversight of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation of Suriname. Finally, the country ranks 88th among the 180 economies on the Corruption Perception Index 2024 and 144th out of 184 on the latest Index of Economic Freedom.

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Latest Update: October 2025