With the leadership of the National Assembly of Suriname, and with support of the ICCF Group as technical secretariat and of Conservation International, the Suriname Conservation Caucus was launched on January 30, 2025, in the city of Paramaribo.
Authorities from the country, alongside representatives of government entities, businesses, NGOs, and international cooperation and members of parliament from Latin America, joined members of the new conservation-driven group in a special program. The activities were aimed at understanding the environmental situation in Suriname and the potential for change with the implementation of the new Conservation Caucus.
Remarks by Members of the Amazon Parliament (Parlamaz) Mr. Radjendrekoemar Debie and Mrs. Miquella Huur, Co-founders of the Conservation Caucus, along with the Honorable Chairman of the National Assembly Marinus Bee – and the participation of Marciano Dasai, Minister of Spatial Planning and the Environment, and Mr. Keith Alger, Vice President for Global Strategy at the ICCF Group – provided an overview of Amazon conservation efforts in the region and highlighted the role of parliamentary conservation caucuses in the Amazon.
Representatives from other Latin American Conservation Caucuses—including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru—also addressed the audience, reinforcing regional collaboration and strengthening the partnership with the Amazon Parliament.
Following the speeches, a roundtable discussion with the Surinamese Parliamentary Caucus took place. The discussion covered key topics such as climate negotiations, COP 30, the importance of integrated fire management, and the scope of the Amazonia+ program and its significance for Amazonian nations. Additionally, MPs and experts exchanged views on the expectations of the Suriname Caucus regarding ICCF’s role in supporting the initiative moving forward.
On January 31st, 2025, a field mission was carried out in which Members of Parliament visited the community of Brownsweg to experience local initiatives that are climate friendly and promote sustainable livelihoods, supported by Conservation International Suriname through its dedicated partners, funded by the European Commission. These initiatives generally aim to mitigate climate change through community-led forest management in Suriname’s hinterland.
Led by Mr. Roy Mohan, Member of the National Assembly of Suriname and Chairman of Sustainable Nature Management, the visit provided participants with a first-hand experience of Afro-descendant traditions in Suriname and how ancestral knowledge plays a crucial role in conservation and the implementation of best practices for sustainable resource and ecosystem management in the Amazon.
The Surinamese Conservation Caucus seeks to create a non-partisan parliamentary dialogue platform and promote conservation policies to strengthen regional cooperation among Amazonian nations. We firmly believe that the Conservation Caucus will help protect Suriname's biodiversity and ecosystem services—resources so valuable that they must be managed sustainably to ensure that this natural heritage continues to benefit future generations.
Caucus Members
- Congressman Mr. Radjendrekoemar Debie
- Congressman Mr. Roy Mohan
- Congresswoman Mrs. Miquella Huur
- Congressman Mr. Patrick Kensenhuis
- Congressman Mr. Ebu Jones
- Congresswoman Mrs. Anni Sadi
- Congressman Mr. Ronny Aloema
Regional Headquarters