Carib Scope

标签： Suriname

苏里南

  • President en deskundigen vragen aandacht voor verborgen geweld tegen kinderen

    President en deskundigen vragen aandacht voor verborgen geweld tegen kinderen

    On June 10, during a dedicated theme day hosted by the Surinamese foundation Stichting Projekta, top national leaders and academic experts drew urgent public attention to the pervasive, underrecognized crisis of violence against children, much of which occurs behind closed doors in family homes.

    Suriname President Jennifer Simons took the stage to emphasize that many forms of harm inflicted on children fly under the radar, escaping detection and intervention from communities and authorities. Contrary to common public perception, she explained, violence against children extends far beyond the obvious cases of physical or sexual abuse. Insults, repeated humiliation, constant belittlement, and other patterns of psychological abuse can leave lifelong emotional and developmental scars on young victims, she noted.

    Simons also pointed to the growing threat of bullying and cyberbullying, which has evolved beyond the boundaries of school classrooms. With the rise of social media, abusive behavior can now follow children into their own homes 24 hours a day, amplifying its damaging impact. “Too many adults fail to grasp the long-term harm that words and thoughtless behavior can inflict on a developing child,” Simons said, adding that many harmful practices are still incorrectly normalized as acceptable parts of childhood or parenting across Surinamese society.

    Leading sociologist Julia Terborg reinforced the president’s remarks, sharing key findings from recent research that confirm the majority of all violence against children occurs within the domestic sphere. This harm is not limited to direct abuse; children who witness intimate partner violence between adult household members also suffer severe, lasting trauma, she explained. Terborg stressed that research conclusions on this issue remain highly relevant today, and in some key areas, the situation has actually worsened in recent years.

    One particularly persistent problem she highlighted is the use of violent discipline in childrearing. “What starts as a so-called corrective slap can quickly escalate into severe, life-altering abuse,” Terborg warned. She called for wider adoption of non-violent parenting strategies across the country, alongside expanded support systems to help parents struggling with caregiving stress.

    Terborg also linked rising risks of domestic violence against children to broader economic pressures. Financial instability and persistent social stress create heightened tension within households, which significantly increases the likelihood that children will experience abuse, she explained. Ahead of the upcoming national budget debate, the sociologist urged Suriname’s policymakers to elevate child protection to a top priority on the national policy agenda.

    She argued that sustained, long-term investment is critical: meaningful progress requires expanded resources for prevention programs, targeted support for at-risk families, and ongoing public awareness campaigns to reduce the normalization of abuse. This national theme day built on the outcomes of a landmark national study on violence against children, conducted earlier by Anton de Kom University of Suriname with partnership and support from UNICEF.

  • PAHO: Lage belastingen remmen strijd tegen suiker en alcohol

    PAHO: Lage belastingen remmen strijd tegen suiker en alcohol

    Two new studies released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have delivered a stark warning: current excise taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages across the Americas are far too low to meaningfully reduce consumption and prevent the spread of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), even as the region registers some of the highest per-capita consumption rates of these products globally.

    The PAHO analysis finds that across the region, average tax burdens on common alcoholic beverages fall well below global benchmarks. Beer carries an average tax rate of just 25.5 percent of retail price, compared to a global average of 29.4 percent. For distilled spirits, the regional average tax rate sits at 31.5 percent, while the global average reaches 38.7 percent. For sugar-sweetened beverages, the average regional tax amounts to only 17.1 percent of retail price, slightly below the global average of 17.8 percent. To compound this issue, one-third of all countries and territories in the Americas impose no special tax on sugary drinks at all.

    This policy gap comes at a particularly worrying time for public health in the region, especially across Latin America and the Caribbean, where consumption of both sugary beverages and alcohol already outpaces most of the world. On average, adults in the region consume 7.8 servings of sugary drinks per week, nearly three times the global average of 2.7 servings.

    High, sustained consumption of these products is directly linked to a sharp rise in severe, life-altering chronic health conditions across the Americas. Data shows 67.5 percent of adults in the region are currently overweight or living with obesity, and elevated consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol also drives higher rates of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, multiple forms of cancer, liver disease, and other chronic NCDs. Excessive alcohol use is additionally associated with higher rates of accidental injuries and interpersonal violence in communities across the region.

    Despite the widespread under-implementation of effective health taxes, the reports also highlight encouraging progress across a small but growing number of regional states. Barbados has introduced new targeted taxes on unhealthy products, Colombia recently enacted reforms to raise existing health tax rates, and Dominica has increased excise duties across tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages. These early actions, PAHO notes, demonstrate that governments in the region are already taking steps to better protect public health for their populations.

    PAHO emphasizes that well-designed health taxes deliver two core public benefits: they reduce consumer demand for harmful products by raising prices, and they generate dedicated public revenue that can be reinvested into strengthening public health systems and expanding social support programs. Research also shows that effective taxation can delay the onset of alcohol use among adolescents and cut overall consumption of sugary drinks across all age groups.

    Still, significant barriers remain for most countries in the region. Many keep tax rates artificially low, limit the scope of products covered by existing taxes, or fail to update rates regularly to account for inflation that erodes their impact over time. In addition, many common high-sugar products such as sweetened dairy drinks and commercial fruit juices are often excluded from taxation entirely, creating a loophole that pushes consumers to shift their consumption to these unregulated unhealthy alternatives.

    Dr. Anselm Hennis, Director of PAHO’s Department of Noncommunicable Diseases, explained the core gap facing regional policymakers: “In many countries, the existing taxes are not designed in line with international best practices, and they are too low to meaningfully change consumption behavior or reduce overall population health risks.”

    To address these gaps, PAHO is urging all member states to strengthen their health tax frameworks by implementing more structured tax systems, raising rates to impactful levels, expanding coverage to include all sugary and alcoholic products, and adding regular inflation adjustments to maintain policy effectiveness over time. The organization also notes that strong enforcement and ongoing monitoring are required to maximize the impact of these taxes on reducing harmful consumption.

    “PAHO continues to provide technical support to member states as they implement health taxes, a proven intervention to reduce risk factors and protect population health,” Hennis added.

    The two reports were first presented in May during a public webinar co-hosted by PAHO and Johns Hopkins University, and they contribute to ongoing global efforts to monitor fiscal policies that align with core public health goals around the world.

  • WK 2026 begint onder politieke druk en protesten

    WK 2026 begint onder politieke druk en protesten

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest edition of the tournament in history co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico with 48 participating nations, is finally set to kick off Thursday at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca, where the host nation will face South Africa in the opening match. But weeks of mounting geopolitical tensions, domestic unrest, and off-field disputes have already overshadowed the on-field action, turning the pre-tournament period into a cycle of controversy. Below, we break down the five most pressing talking points ahead of the first whistle.

    First, Iran has accused the United States of stripping its football federation of allocated match tickets for the country’s group stage games, amid ongoing open conflict between the two nations following joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran in late February. The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) announced that the U.S. unexpectedly revoked the ticket allocation meant for Iranian fans, effectively preventing supporters from traveling to attend the national team’s matches. The U.S. has also imposed a series of bureaucratic barriers on Iran’s delegation, including denying visas for multiple non-playing support staff, as the two countries remain in a formal state of war. As of Wednesday, neither FIFA nor U.S. World Cup organizing authorities have issued a public response to FFIRI’s allegations.

    Second, mass protests in Mexico City have put security authorities under intense pressure just hours before the opening kickoff. The country’s powerful CNTE teachers’ union has been demonstrating across the capital for days, and has threatened to block major access roads leading to Estadio Azteca ahead of Thursday’s match. The union has been on strike since last week, demanding higher wages and opposing a controversial pension reform bill that the current Mexican administration has deemed unworkable. Protesters are also set to be joined by family members of more than 130,000 missing people across Mexico, many of whom are suspected to have been abducted or killed by state actors or criminal drug gangs. In response, Mexican authorities have deployed a massive security presence around the stadium and surrounding areas, with President Claudia Sheinbaum confirming that the opening match will proceed as planned despite the unrest.

    Third, Somali referee Omar Artan received a hero’s welcome in the capital Mogadishu after he was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup. The U.S. administration confirmed Tuesday that Artan was refused a visa over alleged connections to suspected members of terrorist organizations. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival back in Somalia on Wednesday, Artan called the decision “his fate” and urged fellow Somalis not to lose heart. “What happened is done, it was fate. I am grateful for the support FIFA gave me,” he said. FIFA, which awarded former U.S. President Donald Trump its annual FIFA Fair Play Award last year, has emphasized that it holds no responsibility for visa and entry procedures implemented by host nation governments.

    Fourth, England head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed the team is taking a cautious approach to managing the fitness of star winger Bukayo Saka, who remains in recovery from an Achilles injury sustained back in March. The 24-year-old Arsenal attacker played through the pain for his club for the final months of the Premier League season, even featuring in the club’s penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the 2026 Champions League Final. “Bukayo is not 100% yet. He played through pain at the end of the season, but he is managing it and still performing at a high level even if he is not fully fit,” Tuchel told reporters Tuesday. “We are counting on him, and we are taking all the precautions we can to keep him healthy through training.” Saka’s fitness is widely viewed as critical to England’s World Cup hopes: he has featured at both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, and scored three goals in four matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Finally, despite the tournament kicking off imminently, many competing nations are still wrapping up their final pre-tournament warm-up fixtures this week. England is set to face Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday to help the squad acclimatize to the hot, humid conditions expected across several U.S. host cities. Portugal has yet to depart for North America, and will play one final warm-up against Nigeria before flying out to the U.S. Algeria is also scheduled to play a closed-door friendly against Bolivia on Wednesday to fine-tune its tactics before the group stage begins.

  • Onderwijsvernieuwing vraagt meer dan nieuwe plannen alleen

    Onderwijsvernieuwing vraagt meer dan nieuwe plannen alleen

    On the second day of the 2026 National Education Congress held in Paramaribo, Suriname, education experts, policymakers and key stakeholders from across the sector united around a clear consensus: meaningful, long-lasting education reform requires far more than ambitious policy blueprints and good intentions—it demands coordinated structural strengthening of teachers, infrastructure, funding and governance alike.

    Hosted on Tuesday at the Royal Ballroom of Hotel Torarica, this year’s gathering centered on the overarching theme “Education: The Path from Poverty to Growth and Progress,” framing education reform as a core driver of national economic and social advancement. Per official updates from the Communication Service of Suriname, breakout sessions and plenary discussions repeatedly emphasized that sustainable transformation demands a cohesive, cross-cutting approach, rather than piecemeal changes. This approach must address not just improving student learning outcomes and teacher professional development, they argued, but also the foundational enabling conditions that make quality education accessible to all.

    Attendees highlighted a range of non-negotiable prerequisites for effective reform: from supportive learning environments, up-to-date learning materials, functional school furniture and modern educational infrastructure to robust digital tools and clear career advancement pathways for education staff. A particularly urgent priority raised during discussions was boosting competitive compensation for teachers, a step designed to stem the growing tide of educator outflow to other domestic sectors and employment opportunities abroad.

    Leading education expert Ivan Fernald opened one of the congress’ keynote sessions by stressing that overall education quality is directly tied to the quality, professional standing and institutional support given to classroom teachers. “The quality of our education system stands or falls with the quality of our teachers, the recognition they receive, and the support we provide them,” Fernald told delegates. He emphasized that no education innovation can succeed without properly equipped, motivated educators, and called on leaders to move beyond rhetorical ambitions, set clear actionable priorities, and track progress through measurable outcome targets.
    Fernald further noted that education transformation is a shared responsibility of the entire Surinamese society, not one that falls exclusively to the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. He added that educators themselves have historically been insufficiently included in the design and rollout of major systemic changes to the education system—a gap that must be closed for reform to work.

    Across panel discussions, delegates echoed the need for collaborative decision-making and collective vision to advance durable reform. Hans Lim A Po, Rector of the FHR Institute for Higher Education, emphasized that societies lacking a shared, unified vision for education struggle to build meaningful, long-term progress. Former Education Minister Marie Levens added that Suriname already possesses the necessary local expertise and knowledge to drive successful reform; what is needed now, she argued, is a deliberate choice to adopt an education model aligned with the country’s unique needs and on-the-ground realities, rather than importing systems ill-suited to Suriname’s context.

    By the close of the second day of proceedings, delegates reached a unified conclusion: education reforms in Suriname will only deliver lasting positive outcomes if they are implemented systematically, and keep the well-being and holistic development of learners and educators at the center of all policy and practice.

  • Filipijnen: Race tegen de klok om overlevenden te vinden na krachtige aardbeving

    Filipijnen: Race tegen de klok om overlevenden te vinden na krachtige aardbeving

    A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake has rocked the southern region of the Philippines, leaving at least 37 people dead and more than 400 others injured as rescue teams scramble to locate any trapped survivors buried under collapsed infrastructure. The devastating quake, which struck at approximately 7:40 a.m. local time on Monday around 20 kilometers off the coast of Sarangani province, was felt as far as Manado on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, some 420 kilometers from the epicenter, according to initial geological assessments.

    The hardest-hit urban center is General Santos, a coastal city of 720,000 residents on the island of Mindanao. The city has been declared a state of disaster, with multiple commercial and residential buildings reduced to rubble, streets littered with fallen debris, and downed power lines cutting electricity to large swathes of the community. On Tuesday, search and rescue crews continued to comb through the wreckage of a collapsed commercial building that housed a local supermarket, where two people remain unaccounted for. Rescuers have already pulled two survivors from the site and recovered one body, with no signs of life detected at other search locations as of Wednesday.

    For families of the missing, the wait for news has been agonizing. Dioslinda Deluvio, whose son remains trapped under the collapsed supermarket, waited outside the disaster site Tuesday, clinging to a slim hope. “It is hard to accept that my son is still stuck there,” she said. “My only hope is that he is found today, so we can have peace.”

    The initial major earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks, the strongest of which registered a magnitude of 6.5, per data from the United States Geological Survey. Immediately after the main quake, tsunami warnings were issued across multiple regional countries, though no major destructive tsunami events were recorded.

    Across affected regions, the death toll has mounted beyond General Santos. Eighteen fatalities were recorded in Sarangani province, most of which came after a mudslide buried homes in the mountain village of Glan. Additional deaths have been confirmed in the nearby provinces of South Cotabato, Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island.

    Access to remote, hard-hit areas has emerged as a major barrier to rescue and recovery efforts, with many mountainous regions of Sarangani only reachable by helicopter. Ongoing aftershocks have further slowed operations, forcing rescuers to work with extreme caution to avoid secondary collapses and additional casualties. “The aftershocks mean rescuers have to move very slowly and carefully,” explained Rodrigo Sosmena, head of regional civil defense. “That is one of our biggest challenges right now.”

    Witnesses across the affected zone described the terrifying force of the quake, which caught people going about their daily routines off guard. Jojo Calma was driving through General Santos when a nearby building crumbled around him. “It was the first time I ever felt such a strong quake, I couldn’t hold back my tears,” he said. “I immediately thought of my children and niece, and what could have happened to them.”

    In Malita, a town located east of General Santos, more than 100 students and a dozen teachers were gathered for a flag-raising ceremony to mark the first day of class after summer break when the quake hit. School principal Rosavel Cachuela reported that the students’ quick decision to stay calm and in their seats prevented serious injuries, but the traumatic event has left lasting psychological impacts on the young community.

    Preliminary damage assessments show the disaster has damaged roughly 2,000 residential homes and 117 government buildings across multiple provinces. Around 6,000 public school campuses still require full structural inspections before classes can resume, leaving thousands of students out of school indefinitely. General Santos’ international airport has remained closed since the quake, forcing the cancellation of 63 domestic flights and disrupting travel across the southern Philippines.

    Given the scale of the destruction, many observers note it is surprising that the death toll has not climbed higher. Manila-based correspondent Barnaby Lo called the relatively low fatality count a “miracle” and outlined the current priorities for response teams. “Right now, the main priority is search and rescue, with hope that more people can still be found alive under the rubble,” he said. “The biggest challenge is reaching mountainous areas, where roads and bridges have been heavily damaged. The department of public works is working around the clock to clear blocked routes, while structural engineers inspect buildings for safety. It is an enormous job.”

    Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has already activated national emergency response agencies and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting affected communities. “The national government is in action, and we will not leave Mindanao behind,” he said in a statement.

    This earthquake is the most powerful to hit the Philippines in eight months. The previous major seismic event, a 6.9-magnitude quake near Cebu last year, killed 79 people.

  • Koopkracht nog niet hersteld ondanks lagere inflatie

    Koopkracht nog niet hersteld ondanks lagere inflatie

    New data from Suriname’s 2026 Financial Plan has laid bare the uneven economic recovery the nation is facing following years of crippling inflation, with most worker groups still grappling with falling real purchasing power three years after peak inflationary pressures began. While overall inflation has cooled significantly from the highs seen during recent economic crisis years, the report confirms that the damage to household finances has not been undone for a large share of the working population, especially among senior public sector employees.

    Between 2020 and 2025, the average consumer price index in Suriname skyrocketed from 189.7 to 885.5, translating to a cumulative inflation rate of 366.8% over the five-year period. For 2026, the government projects that inflation will stabilize around 9.2%, with annual rates settling between 6% and 8% provided global oil prices and the domestic currency’s exchange rate hold steady. Despite this cooling of price growth, an analysis of wage trends included in the plan shows that most workers have not seen real gains in their incomes compared to 2022 levels.

    Only a handful of sectors have outpaced inflation to deliver actual purchasing power growth over the period. The wholesale and retail trade sector, plus the information and communications industry, recorded positive real wage growth, with information and communications workers seeing their purchasing power jump by as much as 23% since 2022. In sharp contrast, sectors including transportation, hospitality, restaurants, and recreation have experienced severe purchasing power declines, with real labor values falling by roughly 31% in these industries.

    The public sector paints an equally mixed picture of recovery. Government calculations confirm that just one pay tier – entry-level Function Group 1 – has seen a small real improvement, recording a 1.6% purchasing power gain compared to July 2022. All other 12 public sector function groups, from 2 through 13, have seen real purchasing power fall even after accounting for scheduled salary adjustments and ad-hoc support measures, a trend that continues into 2025. Senior public employees in higher function groups have lost between 13% and 26% of their 2022 purchasing power, according to the analysis.

    The ongoing erosion of the Surinamese dollar’s value has compounded these strains on household budgets. In 2022, one Surinamese dollar (SRD) held an average purchasing power value of 84 cents relative to the currency’s value at the start of that year. By 2025, that value had fallen to just 43 cents, meaning the same nominal amount of money buys nearly 50% less than it did just three years ago.

    The only bright spot in the report is the trend for minimum wage earners. The hourly minimum wage rose sharply from SRD 20 in 2022 to SRD 52.47 in 2025, which translated to a real improvement in purchasing power for this group. Adjusted for inflation, the 2025 hourly minimum wage holds a value of roughly SRD 22.56, up from SRD 16.80 in 2022, marking a modest but tangible real gain for workers at the bottom of the income distribution.

    Going forward, the 2026 Financial Plan forecasts that lower inflation in 2025 and 2026 will support gradual further recovery in purchasing power across the country. At the same time, the official data makes clear that the lasting damage of the high inflation that hit Suriname over the past three years remains far from fully resolved for most of the population.

  • Bijna 600 ontwikkelingsprojecten geregistreerd; uitvoering blijft een probleem

    Bijna 600 ontwikkelingsprojecten geregistreerd; uitvoering blijft een probleem

    New data published in Suriname’s 2026 Financial Year Plan reveals a noticeable uptick in the number of successfully completed national development projects over the six-month period between November 2024 and May 2025, even as widespread implementation delays and structural bottlenecks continue to hold back progress toward key national development targets.

    According to statistics compiled by the Planning Office of Suriname, the total number of registered development projects across all government ministries grew from 549 to 596 over the reporting period. Over the same six months, the count of fully completed, successful projects rose 22.7% from 145 to 178.

    A breakdown of performance across government departments shows uneven progress, with two ministries leading in completed outputs. The Ministry of Finance and Planning tops the ranking with 38 successfully finalized projects, followed closely by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Youth Affairs, which has wrapped up 36 projects. Two other departments have posted particularly strong gains in project completion: the Ministry of Regional Development and Sport more than doubled its completed projects from 8 to 19, while the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries saw its completed count rise from 4 to 9. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture also recorded improvement, growing its number of finished projects from 2 to 6.

    Despite these incremental gains, the report makes clear that slow and uneven implementation remains a major policy challenge for the Surinamese government. As of May 2025, 124 registered projects were still active in implementation, 62 were classified as stagnant with no meaningful progress, and dozens more have not even broken ground. The report attributes these delays to a range of persistent obstacles, including unresolved financing gaps, hold-ups in pre-construction preparation, and shortages of specialized technical expertise required to advance projects.

    In the 2026 Financial Year Plan document, the national government openly acknowledges that overall project implementation is falling short of official expectations. It identifies three core systemic challenges that are slowing progress: insufficient on-the-ground implementation capacity, inadequate monitoring frameworks to track project performance, and persistent bottlenecks in early-stage project planning.

    The plan emphasizes that accelerating development project delivery is a non-negotiable priority if Suriname is to deliver on its core policy goals: driving broad-based economic growth, reducing widespread poverty, and raising the quality of public services for all citizens. Without meaningful reforms to speed up and improve implementation, the document warns, many of the country’s most important development targets face significant delays that could impact communities across the nation for years to come.

  • Suriname en Caribisch rampenagentschap versterken samenwerking tegen klimaatrisico’s

    Suriname en Caribisch rampenagentschap versterken samenwerking tegen klimaatrisico’s

    Suriname’s government has announced plans to expand existing cooperation with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), a regional body focused on climate and disaster resilience, to boost the nation’s preparedness for extreme weather events including floods, high wind events and other natural disasters. The announcement came out of a formal meeting Tuesday between Suriname President Jennifer Simons and CDEMA Director Elizabeth Riley.

    Riley traveled to the Surinamese capital for the talks, joined by Jerry Slijngard, coordinator of the National Coordination Center for Disaster Reduction (NCCR), Suriname’s national disaster management authority. The delegation met with President Simons at the President’s Cabinet, where discussions centered on what support Suriname can access through the CDEMA regional network across three core areas: disaster risk management, climate resilience, and emergency crisis response.

    Speaking via Suriname’s Communication Service (CDS), Slijngard outlined that the meeting served two key purposes: first, to update the president on CDEMA’s core mandate and operating structure, and second, to lay out pathways for deeper bilateral engagement. “This was not just an introductory meeting,” Slijngard explained. “It was also an opportunity to map out the targeted support CDEMA can provide to Suriname as we develop and strengthen our national disaster management framework.”

    Talks also covered the ongoing joint work program between CDEMA and NCCR, which currently focuses on capacity-building activities including specialized training for first responders, large-scale disaster simulation exercises, development of updated national response plans, and public awareness campaigns to educate communities on disaster preparedness.

    Director Riley emphasized during the discussions that like its neighboring Caribbean nations, Suriname has faced a rising frequency of extreme weather events driven by climate change in recent years. Specific challenges highlighted during the meeting included repeated destructive flooding in Suriname’s interior regions and growing infrastructure damage from severe wind storms.

    Riley noted that Suriname stands to gain significantly from regional knowledge sharing, pointing to proven disaster risk reduction techniques that have already been successfully implemented across other CDEMA member states. One example discussed during the meeting was improved engineering methods for anchoring roof structures to buildings, a modification that has been shown to drastically reduce wind damage during tropical storms.

    In addition to discussing future support for Suriname, Riley also publicly recognized the nation’s longstanding solidarity within the regional CDEMA network. “When fellow member states face devastating natural disasters, Suriname has always stepped forward with rapid assistance,” Riley said. “This consistent show of solidarity is deeply valued across our entire CDEMA community.”

    At the close of the meeting, both Simons and Riley reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening bilateral and regional cooperation, with the overarching goal of boosting Suriname’s national climate and disaster resilience, ensuring the country is better positioned to respond to future natural disasters and climate-related hazards.

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Wie zijn de beste sterren om in de gaten te houden?

    Derde helft WK 2026: Wie zijn de beste sterren om in de gaten te houden?

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first expanded 48-team edition of soccer’s biggest global tournament, is just hours away from kicking off on Thursday, 11 June, in North America. As the world’s top football talent descends on the host nations, the tournament brings together a historic mix of living legends, seasoned stars, and breakout young talents ready to leave their mark on the global stage. From decades-long veterans chasing one last title to teen prodigies making their first World Cup appearance, here are the 10 players that every football fan should have on their radar over the coming weeks.

    First up is Lionel Messi, the heart and soul of defending champion Argentina. Eight years after his first World Cup appearance, and four years after he fulfilled a lifelong dream by lifting the trophy in Qatar – the only major honor missing from his unparalleled trophy cabinet – the 38-year-old Argentine icon is set to make his sixth World Cup appearance, tying a record for most World Cup tournaments played by any player. While age and fitness may limit his minutes this time around, his influence on the pitch and leadership in the dressing room remain irreplaceable as Argentina aims to become only the third men’s national team to repeat as World Cup champions.

    Next is Spanish teen prodigy Lamine Yamal, who already outperforms most senior pros despite being just 18 years old. Fresh off playing a pivotal role in Spain’s 2024 UEFA European Championship title, the dynamic winger is making his first ever World Cup appearance. If he can maintain the clinical finishing and creative flair that turned heads across Europe, Yamal is on track to become the youngest top goal scorer in the tournament’s storied history.

    For France, Kylian Mbappé is entering this tournament with unfinished business. The 2022 World Cup was bittersweet for the French star: he scored a sensational hat trick in the final against Argentina, becoming only the second player ever to achieve the feat, and took home the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer – but fell just one penalty short of lifting the trophy. Now older, more experienced, and hungry for redemption, Mbappé is fully focused on claiming the gold medal that slipped through his fingers four years ago. Off the tournament track, he is also on the cusp of breaking Olivier Giroud’s all-time French national team goal record: he needs just one more goal to match Giroud’s 57 career goals for France, a milestone he could reach at 27 years old, nearly a decade younger than when Giroud set the mark.

    One of the most anticipated debuts at this year’s tournament belongs to Erling Haaland of Norway. Widely regarded as the most feared striker in European club football, the Manchester City forward has led Norway’s so-called “golden generation” to their first World Cup qualification in 28 years. Haaland dominated the qualifying round, netting 16 goals – more than double the tally of his closest competitor. Last October, he became just the sixth men’s player in international football history, and the first in 53 years, to score 50 international goals in fewer than 50 caps, cementing his well-earned nickname as a “goal machine.” At 25, he is already at the peak of his powers and ready to terrorize defenses in North America.

    Like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make his sixth World Cup appearance – and this will almost certainly be the Portuguese icon’s last. At 41 years old, Ronaldo remains as fit and competitive as ever, still a consistent goal scorer at the club level. After a lifetime of continental and club success, the one honor that has eluded him is the World Cup trophy. After limited playing time in Qatar 2022, he is expected to get far more minutes under manager Roberto Martinez as he chases that elusive title.

    England’s captain Harry Kane enters the tournament in the form of his life, fresh off winning his first Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich. The 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner is aiming to make history at this year’s tournament: if he claims the top scorer honor again, he will become the first men’s player ever to win the Golden Boot at two separate World Cups. As the leader of one of the tournament’s pre-tournament favorites, the in-form striker will be the main attacking threat for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions side.

    Brazil, the five-time World Cup champion, is aiming to reclaim its place at the top of global football, and all eyes will be on Vinícius Júnior, who has grown from a promising young winger to one of the best players in the world since the 2022 World Cup. Named the 2024 FIFA Men’s Player of the Year after a historic season with Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti – who now also leads Brazil’s national team – Vinícius is the centerpiece of the Seleção’s attack alongside veteran legend Neymar Jr, who earned a surprise call-up despite recent injury concerns. With several other key Brazilian attackers sidelined by injury, all of Brazil’s attacking hopes will rest on Vinícius’s blistering pace, elite dribbling, and clinical finishing.

    For Ghana, rising star Antoine Semenyo is set to become the face of the national team at his first ever World Cup. After joining Manchester City earlier this year, Semenyo has already made a massive impact, netting 10 goals and playing a key role in City’s title push. With key playmaker Mohammed Kudus ruled out of the tournament through injury, the 26-year-old forward will carry Ghana’s attacking threat as the side navigates a period of transition. Already, he has emerged as a talisman for the underrated African side.

    Turkey is returning to the World Cup for the first time in more than two decades, and their biggest hope for a deep run is 19-year-old prodigy Arda Güler. Regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in European football, the Real Madrid attacking midfielder is making his first appearance at a major senior international tournament. Buoyed by a pool of emerging young talent, Turkey is not just happy to qualify – they are targeting a surprising deep run in the tournament, with Güler leading the charge.

    Rounding out the list is Mohamed Salah, the captain of Egypt and one of the greatest African footballers of all time. With countless club trophies and individual records to his name, Salah has never lifted a major senior international trophy with Egypt, and this is expected to be his final World Cup appearance. Despite a recent minor muscle injury that disrupted his preparation, the 33-year-old – widely known as the “Egyptian King” – is fit and ready to lead his side, determined to settle unfinished business on the world’s biggest stage.

  • Misiekaba zet in Genève in op arbeidsbescherming, sociale dialoog en eerlijke digitalisering

    Misiekaba zet in Genève in op arbeidsbescherming, sociale dialoog en eerlijke digitalisering

    The 114th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO), is convening this month in Geneva, bringing together tripartite delegations of government, employer, and worker representatives from the body’s 187 member states to address pressing contemporary challenges in global labor markets. Key topics on the conference’s agenda include securing dignified work for participants in the platform economy, advancing gender equality in workplaces, and strengthening inclusive social dialogue and tripartite consultation.

    Addressing the ILC forum, Suriname’s Minister of Public Health, Welfare and Labour André Misiekaba emphasized that the global shift toward digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) integration in workplaces must be guided by a human-centered approach. He argued that rapid technological evolution cannot come at the cost of social equity or worker protection, noting that people must remain the core priority amid widespread labor market disruption. Minister Misiekaba also highlighted the progressive policy reforms Suriname has implemented in recent months to align its national labor framework with ILO standards.

    Most notably, the Surinamese government recently updated the national Labor Advisory Council Act to expand and strengthen structured tripartite consultation between government bodies, employer associations, and worker unions. The country’s National Assembly has also approved the ratification of three landmark ILO conventions: Conventions No. 155 and No. 187 on occupational safety and health, and Convention No. 190, which addresses violence and sexual harassment in workplaces.

    Minister Misiekaba further outlined ongoing policy initiatives supported by the ILO. A national labor migration policy is currently under development through the ILO’s Decent Work Country Programme, with technical guidance from the organization. In a move to combat child labor, the minister announced that the Surinamese government took formal steps in May 2026 to establish a special commission mandated under Article 16 of the country’s Child Labor Act. This commission will conduct on-the-ground research into the social conditions of children engaged in child labor, and develop evidence-based recommendations for targeted social support and family strengthening interventions.

    On the economic front, Minister Misiekaba underlined that driving innovation and raising productivity are critical preconditions for Suriname to achieve long-term sustainable development. In line with this goal, he noted that public consultations are currently underway to update the Center for Innovation and Productivity (CIP) Act, while the country’s National Social Protection Strategy is being rolled out across relevant government agencies.

    The minister also expressed Suriname’s full support for the development of the world’s first legally binding international labor standards for digital platform workers. These proposed standards, he said, are urgently needed to improve working conditions, expand access to social protection, guarantee fair compensation, and increase transparency across the fast-growing global platform economy, which has outpaced many existing national regulatory frameworks.

    Minister Misiekaba’s address to the ILC reaffirmed Suriname’s ongoing commitment to advancing decent work for all, advancing social justice, and building a resilient, future-ready labor market that can adapt to emerging challenges while protecting vulnerable workers. The Surinamese tripartite delegation in Geneva includes Glenn Piroe, Acting Director of Labor; Kamlesh Ganesh representing the Suriname Employers’ Association (VSB); and Marcia Clumper from Ravaksur/C-47, the country’s national trade union center.