Suriname Joins UK-Caribbean Economic Partnership Agreement

Suriname became the 14th Caribbean nation to join the CariForum-U.K. Economic Partnership Agreement, the United Kingdom's Department for International Trade announced in a March 5 news release. Once the deal comes fully into effect, it will provide duty-free and quota-free access for goods between Suriname and the U.K., including machinery, whiskey and cars from the U.K. to Suriname, and bananas and rum from Suriname to the U.K. The agreement also includes trade liberalizing measures in services, including provisions on intellectual property, procurement and competition. The other 13 states party to the EPA are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.