Visit of the Suriname Foreign Minister, Albert Ramdin, to Venezuela. Jul. 10, 2023. | Photo: Twitter/@yvangil

Caracas, July 11 (RHC)-- The foreign ministers of Suriname, Albert Ramdin, and Venezuela, Yván Gil, held a meeting on Monday in Caracas to review the common agenda for regional integration and cooperation.

"We have been seeing how the South American integration system is going to work," Ramdin said, noting that they also exchanged impressions on the upcoming summit of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), to be held next month in Brazil.

The Surinamese foreign minister said that before the end of October, a mixed commission will be created between the two countries to advance cooperation in areas including education, health, mining, and air connectivity.

For his part, the Venezuelan Foreign Minister said that he reviewed with Ramdin issues of our common position in the regional integration agenda. Gil said they discussed the relaunch of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the strengthening of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the prospects of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister said that as of Monday, the work of the government teams of both countries will begin with technical tables in the areas that have been prioritized to advance cooperation.  Gil also highlighted the efforts to materialize "an air connection network in the Caribbean," recognizing the importance of the agreements that may be reached with Suriname in this matter. 

Ramdin arrived on July 9th at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira State (north).   The purpose of this visit is to promote cooperation in the agricultural and fishing areas, as well as air connections, according to the Venezuelan government.  The incorporation of Suriname into Venezuela's new hydrocarbon supply and distribution scheme is also one of the central points of the talks.