On 19th August 2026, the Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Paul Beresford-Hill , met with the Permanent Representative of Suriname to the United Nations, H.E. Ambassador Michel Kerpens.

The meeting focused on the importance of healthcare access for all and the key role of interreligious dialogue. Ambassador Beresford-Hill noted the increasing role that Malteser International Americas is playing in humanitarian initiatives in the Caribbean and South America, particularly in response to the recent earthquakes in Venezuela.

Additionally, Ambassador Beresford-Hill congratulated Suriname on the recent appointment of their former Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Albert Ramdin, to the role of Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

The meeting took place in a warm and constructive atmosphere, reaffirming the longstanding cooperation between the Republic of Suriname and the Sovereign Order of Malta, which established full diplomatic relations in April 1999. Both sides expressed their renewed commitment to universal healthcare access and the importance of interreligious dialogue.