Suriname’s parliament has elected Dr Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the country’s first female president, as the South American nation faces ongoing economic challenges and prepares for future oil revenues.
Geerlings-Simons, a physician and long-time congresswoman, was elected unopposed on Sunday after her party, the National Democratic Party, formed a coalition to replace outgoing President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. She will be sworn in on 16 July.
“I am aware that the heavy task I have taken on is further aggravated by the fact that I am the first woman to serve the country in this position,” she said following the vote.
Her five-year term begins at a time of public discontent. Though Santokhi’s government secured macroeconomic gains and restructured public debt with the help of the International Monetary Fund, the austerity measures led to widespread protests.
Suriname is expecting its first offshore oil production by 2028, but Geerlings-Simons said her immediate focus will be on stabilising state finances. She and her vice president-elect, Gregory Rusland, said they will prioritise better tax collection, especially in the gold-mining sector.
Economists warn the new government faces a difficult road ahead. The country owes around $400 million annually in loan repayments and interest.
“Suriname does not have that money,” said Winston Ramautarsingh, former head of the country’s Association of Economists. “The previous government rescheduled the debts, but that was only a postponement.”
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed at the Qatar Grand Prix, overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for victory, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. co...
China’s Xuelong 2 icebreaker has reached waters near Zhongshan Station and begun icebreaking operations as part of the country’s 42nd Antarctic sc...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday he expected ongoing talks with Ukrainian officials to deliver “more progress” toward reaching a...
Allies of Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov have secured a strong majority in the country’s snap parliamentary election, according to prelimina...
OPEC+ is expected to maintain its current oil production levels at meetings scheduled for Sunday, as the alliance weighs the risks of an emerging supp...
Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, made history off the coast of Sinop by successfully firing a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile at a jet-powered target.
The White House has opened a new page on its official website accusing journalists and news organisations of biased or misleading coverage of President Donald Trump
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
Venezuela has condemned Donald Trump’s claim that its airspace is “closed in its entirety,” calling the remark a hostile act that breaches international law and echoes colonial pressure.
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. At least twelve people died. The crash sent a wall of fire into an industrial corridor and forced the shutdown of the airport.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday that the group retains the right to respond to Israel’s killing of its top military commander, leaving open the possibility of a new conflict with the country.
Kazakhstan has called on Ukraine to stop striking the Black Sea terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) after a major drone attack forced a halt to exports and caused serious damage to loading equipment.
Russia’s state communications watchdog said it is tightening restrictions on WhatsApp, claiming the US-owned platform violates Russian law and is being used to facilitate criminal activity, according to comments carried by the Tass news agency.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen triumphed at the Qatar Grand Prix, overtaking McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for victory, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr. completed the podium in Doha.
China’s Xuelong 2 icebreaker has reached waters near Zhongshan Station and begun icebreaking operations as part of the country’s 42nd Antarctic scientific expedition, a 19-month mission aimed at advancing polar research and strengthening international scientific cooperation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday he expected ongoing talks with Ukrainian officials to deliver “more progress” toward reaching a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine.
OPEC+ is expected to maintain its current oil production levels at meetings scheduled for Sunday, as the alliance weighs the risks of an emerging supply glut against ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, four OPEC+ sources told reporters this week.
More than a thousand people gathered in Hong Kong on Sunday to mourn victims of the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years, as Beijing warned against any protest.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment