PARAMARIBO — Chargé d’Affaires Paul Watzlavick performed the opening ceremony of the Initial Planning Conference (IPC) for Tradewinds 2027 at the Royal Torarica Conference Center. He entered into discussions with the participating delegates and laid the foundation for the multi-day event.
The conference, held Monday through Friday, brings together 126 planners from the U.S. Southern Command, the South Dakota National Guard, U.S. federal law enforcement agencies, partner nations and several Surinamese ministries and security organizations. Tradewinds is a long-term U.S. Southern Command exercise aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, countering cross-border threats, improving disaster response and strengthening security partnerships in the Caribbean.
“By hosting the IPC, Suriname underlines its leadership in regional security and its commitment to multilateral partnerships”
Suriname will act as the main host country for Tradewinds 2027. Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago will provide support for specific parts of the exercise. The IPC represents an important milestone in defense cooperation between the United States and Suriname and lays the foundation for the Mid-Planning Conference and Final Planning Conference that precede next year’s exercise.
When the Tradewinds is held in 2027, it will bring together hundreds of military and law enforcement officials from various countries in the Western Hemisphere. This emphasizes the power of regional cooperation and the shared commitment to a safer and more resilient Caribbean. By organizing the IPC, Suriname underlines its leadership in the field of regional security and its commitment to multilateral partnerships that contribute to stability and better cooperation between the various security organizations.
