PARAMARIBO, SURINAME – Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has urged young people who have left school to return to education and prepare for opportunities expected to emerge from the country’s oil and gas industry.
Speaking during a local content session at the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit (SEOGS) 2026 on Wednesday, Geerlings-Simons appealed to school dropouts to reject crime and pursue education, saying the country’s energy sector will create opportunities for those with the right skills.
“There are many young people who have dropped out of school, and I am talking to you. Come back. Come and get trained; don’t turn to crime,” she said.
The appeal came as the government signed a memorandum of understanding, alongside Staatsolie and TotalEnergies, aiming to strengthen education and technical training for the oil and gas sector.
But the president said the initiative extends beyond preparing workers for the energy industry. While describing oil and gas as an important pillar of the economy, Geerlings-Simons said the government also wants to diversify economic activity and place greater emphasis on vocational education.
“Vocational education and training at this moment in our history is the most important thing for young people to focus on. Yes, we need scientists, and we will continue to support them, but we also need more people who are vocationally trained,” she said.
According to the president, the agreement with the oil companies is therefore not just about the oil and gas sector.
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“It’s about training our people so they can earn a good living and have a good life for themselves and their children,” Geerlings-Simons said.
The president also pointed to opportunities in agriculture, tourism and other sectors. To support those ambitions, she said Suriname is pursuing partnerships with other countries to strengthen capacity in key industries.
She noted that an agreement has already been concluded with neighboring Brazil under which Suriname will receive technical support. The country is also in advanced discussions with regional partners on tourism, and recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dominican Republic in that area.
Suriname is preparing for its first offshore oil production through the US$10.5 billion GranMorgu development in Block 58, operated by TotalEnergies with partners APA Corporation and Staatsolie. The project is expected to begin production in 2028, with a production target of 220,000 barrels of oil per day. It is widely regarded as a transformative project for the country’s economy.
