A 2025 annual report from the Integrated Control Framework (ICF) Unit has uncovered critical gaps in digital security screening at key entry points to Suriname, raising concerns about the country’s ability to detect and intercept high-risk international travelers.
According to the Annual Incoming Statistics Report 2025, not all of Suriname’s official ports of entry were fully integrated into the ICF program’s digital security checks by the end of 2025. The most notable gap was found at the Caiawama border crossing between Suriname and neighboring Guyana, where authorities were still issuing paper tourist cards that allow travelers to bypass digital screening entirely. The ICF notes that passenger information collected via this paper system is not connected to any international verification database, creating what the report calls a ‘significant security vulnerability.’ This gap means that individuals who are wanted internationally or flagged for security risks may go undetected, though the report does not specify how many travelers have slipped through the screening or how many potential threats may have been missed.
A second critical gap was identified at Suriname’s relatively new Eduard Alexander Gummels (EAG) Airport in Kwatta, which opened in March 2025 and has been growing in importance for regional air traffic. The ICF report confirms that as of December 2025, the required security verification equipment had not yet been installed at the airport, creating holes in screening that could allow flagged individuals to enter undetected. Originally, installation of this equipment was scheduled for the third quarter of 2026, and the report does not clarify whether the work has been completed ahead of schedule. In a comment to local outlet Starnieuws, EAG Airport representatives stated that the required QR code scanners have already been procured and are currently being installed, with the system expected to be fully operational by the end of the current month. All passengers arriving at EAG are already required to fill out the digital ICF form, even before the full system is active.
The ICF program was specifically designed to improve tracking of international traveler flows and enable early detection of potential security risks, while also fostering better coordination between border management and national security agencies. As such, the gaps identified in the 2025 report highlight the urgent need for additional investment in equipment, digital connectivity, and screening processes to secure all of Suriname’s entry points.
The report also underscores the importance of a fully functional screening system by breaking down 2025 incoming passenger volumes by entry point. In total, the ICF recorded 381,667 incoming passenger movements across Suriname last year. Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, the country’s primary international gateway, handled the largest share with 236,644 arrivals, followed by the South Drain border crossing in Nickerie with 51,747 arrivals, the Albina border crossing with 20,051 arrivals, EAG Airport with 6,359 arrivals, Zorg en Hoop Airport with 1,175 arrivals, and Jules Sedney Harbour with 782 arrivals.