The historical links between Indonesia and Suriname dating back to the migration of Indonesians (especially Javanese) to Suriname in 1890. During colonial Dutch East Indies in 19th-century, to fulfill labor need in its other colonies, the Dutch began to send large numbers of Javanese to work in Suriname. Most of them works in plantation and agriculture sectors. Today, around 70,000 citizens, or 15 percent of Suriname's demographic, have Javanese descent;[2] some of its officials, such as cabinet ministers, are also Javanese. Bilateral diplomatic relations were officially established in 1975, although there had been an Indonesian Consulate General in Paramaribo since 1964.[3]
Indonesia sees Suriname as a strategic partner in the region, as its gate and trade hub to enter the Latin America market. The volume of bilateral trade in 2012, reached US$8.9 million in favour to Indonesia. In 2012 Indonesia's exports to Suriname was $7.1 million while imports was $1.8 million, resulting in $5.3 million surplus in trade balances for Indonesia.[2] Indonesia sells textile, furniture, clothes, household equipments, plastic equipments, shoes, cooking ingredients and musical instruments to Suriname.[4]
