@misc{37986,
title = {Independent Country Program Review: Suriname  2021-2025},
author = {Corrales, Luis Fernando and Maciel, Odette and King, Dana Michael and Usher, Nicole Marie and Fuscaldo Jalkh, Isabella and González, Jorge and Molina Fernández, Miguel and Vaca, Orlando and Rubio Jaramillo, Nicole Mishel and Soriano, Alejandro and Motta, Marialisa},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.18235/0014021},
abstract = {This Independent Country Program Review (ICPR) assesses the relevance, alignment, implementation, and contributions of the Inter-American Development Bank Group's (IDB Group) 2021-2025 Country Strategy (CS) and Country Program (CP) with Suriname. It aims to inform the Boards' consideration of the next strategy, provide inputs for Management, and offer government and stakeholders an independent view of IDB Group support in the context of severe macroeconomic imbalances, structural vulnerabilities, and rapidly changing prospects linked to offshore oil discoveries.  

The ICPR is based on a documentary review, triangulated evidence, and nearly 80 interviews, complemented by a field mission (July 2025). It follows OVE guidelines and covers all IDB and IDB Invest operations (2021-2025), including legacy operations. 

The CS defined objectives in three priority areas: restoring macroeconomic sustainability, promoting private sector competitiveness, and improving basic services and social protection. The CS was broadly aligned with Suriname's development challenges and corporate priorities but showed limited selectivity and weaknesses in its theory of change. The CP comprised 101 operations totaling US$1.25 billion and was strongly aligned with strategic objectives and cross-cutting themes, yet implementation constraints were significant: 74% of investment and grant operations faced execution problems, and disbursements lagged behind rapidly rising approvals, reflecting limited absorptive capacity and a small in-country team. The CP achieved medium contributions across the three priority areas, with higher contributions in fiscal sustainability, primary and secondary education, health, rural electrification, and gender equality, and lower contributions in digital government, financial inclusion, water and sanitation, and social protection.  

The ICPR identifies three key lessons: the need for greater strategic selectivity; the importance of improving the business environment to accompany expanding oil revenues; and strengthening country and implementation capacities to manage public investment, improve service delivery, and address climate-related vulnerabilities.},
url = {https://doi.org/10.18235/0014021}
}