At the 151st General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Asis Gajadien, a prominent member of Suriname’s National Assembly and leader of the VHP party, urged the international community to bolster support for nations actively contributing to global climate protection. Gajadien highlighted Suriname’s unique position as one of the few countries worldwide with a net-negative carbon footprint, yet it faces severe humanitarian challenges due to climate change, including floods, coastal erosion, and the displacement of inland communities.
‘For Suriname, climate change is not a debate; it is a harsh reality. People are losing their homes and livelihoods. Humanitarian action must include climate financing,’ Gajadien asserted. He called for greater accessibility to climate funds like the Green Climate Fund for smaller nations, emphasizing the need for grants over loans. ‘No country should be forced into debt to protect the planet,’ he added.
Gajadien also underscored the critical role of parliaments in ensuring transparent use of resources for disaster prevention, climate adaptation, and safeguarding vulnerable communities. ‘Solidarity is not charity—it is justice,’ he concluded. ‘Suriname is ready to work with other nations to transform compassion into concrete action.’
The Surinamese parliamentary delegation, led by Rabin Parmessar (NDP party leader), is participating in the IPU assembly and related meetings in Geneva from October 19 to 23. The delegation includes Geneviève Jordan (ABOP) and is supported by Agatha Ramdass, Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly. Clerk Ruth de Windt is also attending the conference of clerks.