Suriname appears to be moving to assert itself at key multilateral organizations in the hemisphere as it announced the nomination of incumbent Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin for the top post of the 34-nation Organization of American States (OAS). The organization is based in Washington DC.
Ramdin, 65, had already served as assistant secretary general from 2005-2015, but his government has this time formally nominated him for the top post. To clinch the position, Ramdin would have to get the backing of 14 of the 15 Caribbean Community member nations and votes from at least four other hemispheric nations to secure the top spot. Montserrat, still a British colony, cannot vote independently.
Announcing the nomination this week in a letter to the organization, President Chan Santokhi said authorities are confident about his chances of election in 2025, noting that indications of support from other nations are positive. “He then decided to take that step.” The current term of Santokhi’s government also ends in 2025.
As a consequence of the run for the position, Santokhi said that Suriname will back away from plans to this year host the 54th regular meeting of the OAS in Paramaribo as the issue of the position would be on the agenda and could give Suriname an unfair advantage. Authorities want a transparent process.
Ramdin’s candidacy is formally the first for the position so far but at least two Latin American nations are also expected to offer up candidates. A Caricom member states has never held the position of secretary general. Trinidadian diplomat Christopher Thomas had also served as assistant secretary general in the 90s. Ramdin had copped duties as assistant secretary general responsible for foreign affairs at Caricom more than 20 years ago.
In moving to insert its diplomats in key organizations, Suriname had failed in its bid to get former Deputy Caricom Secretary General Manorma P. Soeknandan elected as secretary general of the 15 nation bloc back in 2021. She lost to Belizean Carla Barnett.
