Suriname has taken a significant step forward in enhancing its export capabilities with the launch of the Cost Sharing Grant and the certification of fifteen export coaches. The initiative, officially inaugurated by Minister Melvin Bouva of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Cooperation (BIS), marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s efforts to strengthen its global competitiveness. The ceremony, held at the Courtyard Marriott in Paramaribo, highlighted Suriname’s commitment to transforming its economic potential into tangible achievements. Minister Bouva emphasized that while the country boasts innovative entrepreneurs, abundant natural resources, and strategic access to regional and international markets, many of its products and services remain underrecognized abroad. He attributed this gap to limited access to knowledge, markets, and the necessary tools for success. The minister praised the first cohort of certified export coaches and the twenty-six companies that have already begun implementing their export strategies, calling them ‘pioneers of a new export culture.’ The Cost Sharing Grant, a co-financing model, aims to support businesses in realizing their export plans by funding activities such as marketing materials, digital platforms, trade mission participation, product certification, and sample distribution. This initiative is part of the Foreign Investment and Export Promotion Program, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank and implemented in collaboration with BIS, the Suriname Investment and Trade Agency (SITA), and the National Development Bank. The program focuses on non-extractive sectors like agribusiness, manufacturing, services, and the creative industry, with transparency, inclusivity, and impact as core principles. For businesses without an export strategy, the Export Coaching Facility offers subsidized guidance to develop an SITA-approved Export Marketing Plan. The application process is open and merit-based, with subsidies tailored to the activity’s importance, such as 90% support for product certification and 50% for marketing materials. Minister Bouva underscored that export is more than selling products—it is a national project that creates jobs, strengthens value chains, and shares Suriname’s story of quality, resilience, and pride with the world.
Nieuwe stap naar exportgroei met Cost Sharing Grant en gecertificeerde coaches
