Guide to Doing Business
in Suriname

Structures for doing business

Regulations regarding structures for doing business under private law which can be used in Suriname are contained in various laws (such as the Surinamese Commercial Code (Wetboek van Koophandel), the Foundations Act (Wet op Stichtingen), the Cooperative Associations Act (Wet coöperatieve verenegingen) and the Surinamese Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek)). The structures for doing business are:

• the sole proprietorship (de eenmanszaak);
• partnerships (de maatschap, vennootschap onder firma, commanditaire vennootschap);
• the limited liability company (de naamloze vennootschap; N.V.) (the private company (besloten vennootschap; B.V.) is not a concept know in the Suriname legal system);
• the foundation (stichting);
• the association (vereniging);
• the (cooperative) association ((coöperatieve) vereniging);
• The branch of a foreign legal entity (filiaal van een buitenlandse rechtspersoon).

The limited liability company and the sole proprietorship are the most common structures for doing business in Suriname. In order to further stimulate Suriname as an emerging economy several laws have been amended and implemented, such as the Act Suriname Business Forum which is implemented to actively promote the collaboration between the local private sector and the public sector for the purpose of lasting economic growth and employment in Suriname.

In 2012 a Government entity IDCS (Investment and Development Corporation Suriname) has been established as a one stop liaison for counseling on foreign investments.