Suriname’s First Female President Takes Office as Oil Boom Nears

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has become Suriname’s first woman president after parliament elected her on July 6, 2025. Her National Democratic Party (NDP) won 18 out of 51 seats in the May elections, just ahead of the Progressive Reform Party (VHP), which won 17.

Simons built a coalition with smaller parties, reaching the two-thirds majority needed to win the presidency. Her inauguration will take place on July 16.

Her party is centrist, focusing on practical solutions and social investment rather than strict left or right ideology. Suriname, a country of 646,000 people, is about to change dramatically.

A $9 billion offshore oil project led by TotalEnergies and APA Corporation is set to start producing oil in 2028. Official data shows the project could pump up to 220,000 barrels a day at its peak, compared to the country’s current 17,500 barrels from onshore fields.

The oil reserves in the new field are estimated at 760 million barrels. Neighboring Guyana’s economy grew by over 40% after it started oil production. Suriname hopes for similar growth, but its GDP per person is still only about $7,600.

The last government struggled with debt, inflation, and public anger over spending cuts. The International Monetary Fund supported Suriname as it tried to stabilize its finances.

Nearly one in five Surinamese lives in poverty. Simons and her coalition have promised to fight corruption and make sure oil money helps everyone, not just a few.

Suriname’s Oil Boom Puts Simons’ Leadership to the Test

Simons, a doctor and long-time parliament leader, now faces the challenge of managing this expected oil wealth. She leads a party founded by Dési Bouterse, a controversial former president.

Her government says it will focus on better schools, healthcare, and roads, while making sure oil profits are used wisely and fairly. Suriname’s politics are divided, and coalition governments are now common.

The country stands at a crossroads. If Simons and her team manage the oil boom carefully and honestly, Suriname could see real progress. If not, it risks falling into the same traps that have hurt other oil-rich countries.

The world is watching to see if Suriname can turn its new oil wealth into a better future for all its people.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error