Bouterse to skip UN and Arab South American meetings
Dear Editor,
The President of Suriname, Desi Bouterse, will remain at home in Paramaribo to present his annual budget to the National Assembly. This is a constitutional obligation that requires him to personally address the National Assembly on October 1, according to Mr. Alfonso from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paramaribo in a telephone conversation today.
At the UN, he will be represented by the Foreign Minister of Suriname, Mr. Winston Lackin, who will address the UN General Assembly on his behalf. This will also keep the president of Suriname from participating in the Arab South American Summit to be help in Lima, Peru from October 1 -2. Presidential Envoy of Suriname, Mr. Liakat Errol Alibux, will represent Suriname at the Arab South American Summit.
Liakat Alibux studied sociology at the University of Erasmus in the Netherlands. He held several Cabinet positions in previous governments. Adding to his credentials, he was also appointed in 1983 as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Suriname.
Many Arab leaders will stay home considering the volatile situation in the Middle East since the Arab Spring started. Uncertainties and occupied with domestics issues, most Arab leaders will be represented in Peru at the Prime Ministerial and foreign minister levels.
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, King of Morocco, Mohammed IV, King of Jordan, Abdullah II, the President of Lebanon and Palestine , Michel Sulaiman and Mahmoud Abbas, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Jaber Al Sabah will be in Peru .
One aspect of Bouterse foreign policy is closer political and commercial ties with the Middle East, especially with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members- Kuwait , Qatar , the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia .
The Bouterse Government’s closer ties with the Middle East is looking to attract investments from the region and has so far secured about three investments from the Middle East . Suriname is a member of the Arab Development Bank and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Ray Chickrie
