On Monday, October 16, the Suriname Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASAS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for enhanced technical cooperation with France’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) during the opening ceremony of a regional aviation audit training program in Paramaribo, Suriname. The signing ceremony was attended by Suriname’s Minister of Transport, Communication and Tourism Raymond Landveld, representatives from the French Embassy in Suriname, and leaders of multiple regional civil aviation bodies.
This MoU lays a formal foundation for long-term bilateral technical partnership, with a core focus on strengthening CASAS’s regulatory oversight capacity. A key priority of the cooperation is upgrading the professional knowledge and practical skills of CASAS staff in aviation safety audits, a goal that kicked off immediately with the 5-day training program running from October 19 to 23. The course, led by an experienced instructor from France’s prestigious National School of Civil Aviation (ENAC), is fully funded by the DGAC. Beyond Surinamese participants, the program also includes professionals from the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS), with delegates from Haiti, Jamaica and Barbados joining the initiative, giving the training clear regional relevance.
Anjulio Wolf, Director of CASAS, signed the MoU on behalf of the Surinamese authority, while Claudia Peyrel, head of international cooperation for the Americas at DGAC, represented the French side. In his opening remarks, Wolf welcomed all participants and urged attendees to translate the new skills gained into real-world practice after the training.
Suriname’s Minister Landveld noted that the cooperation initiative grew out of his own outreach to French authorities to address ongoing constraints facing Suriname’s civil aviation sector. Both sides agree that improved air connectivity between Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital, and Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, would deliver mutual economic and social benefits to both territories.
The French Embassy in Suriname emphasizes that strengthened civil aviation oversight and improved connectivity will unlock new opportunities for the development of tourism, cross-border trade, and Suriname’s growing oil and gas sector. For Suriname, enhanced links with French Guiana could also serve as a strategic gateway to expanded air connections with the European Union, opening new trade and travel pathways. French Ambassador to Suriname Benoît Denise underlined the value of knowledge sharing and institutional partnership in this cooperation, with the DGAC framing the current training as the first concrete step in a longer process that will be expanded through further targeted measures.
It is important to note that while the MoU establishes the framework for future technical cooperation, it does not remove existing aviation restrictions between the two regions. No concrete agreements on new flight routes or a specific timeline for improving connectivity have been announced in this initial statement. The cooperation aligns with broader efforts by France and the European Union to deepen political, economic and sectoral ties with Suriname and the wider Caribbean region.
Industry analysts note that stronger, more effective civil aviation safety oversight will help build international confidence in Suriname’s aviation sector, a critical prerequisite for attracting new investment, expanding trade, and growing regional air connectivity for the South American nation.