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Guyana, Suriname to iron out outstanding legal, financial matters for Corentyne River Bridge project
Kaieteur News – The Governments of Guyana and Suriname have both agreed to continue collaboration to address outstanding legal, technical and financial matters in relation to the Corentyne River Bridge Project.
An artist’s impression of the Corentyne River Bridge
President Irfaan Ali and Suriname’s President Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons met on Saturday in Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname to review the state of bilateral relations and to advance discussions on areas of mutual interest.
During their discussions, the much-anticipated Corentyne River Bridge project which will link the two South American nations was raised. “With regards to the bridge between Suriname and Guyana, over the Corantijn (Corentyne) River the two Leaders recognized the timely advancement of the transformative potential for trade, tourism, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges,” a joint statement following their meeting said.
According to the statement, the two countries agreed to “continue close coordination to address outstanding legal, technical and financial matters.” The project is integral to the interconnectivity of the Amazon Region.
The former Chandrikapersad Santokhi-led administration had agreed to execute the project with Guyana. On May 20, 2025 Santokhi announced at the opening ceremony of a Surinamese joint venture, GUYSURE Aggregate & Sands Inc. sales office, a subsidiary of Grassalco, in Guyana that the sod turning for the project would have been in a “couple weeks’ time”.
However, Santoki’s party lost the May 2025 Suriname Parliamentary Elections and Dr. Simons was elected the new president. Since then, there has been no further update on the bridge project.
The Guyana Government had set aside GYD$5 billion in the 2025 budget toward the bridge’s construction.
Kaieteur News had reported that the construction of the Bridge between the two countries will be executed by China Road and Bridge Corporation. China Road and Bridge Corporation was among three bidders that submitted proposals to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office last year.
According to media reports, the governments of Guyana and Suriname had requested funding from China for the project and were awaiting approval.
The Corentyne River Bridge, once completed, will span approximately 1,100 metres in length with 22 spans measuring 50 metres each. The sub-structure is expected to withstand minor vessel impact. The carriageway is expected to span around 10.05 metres, accommodating two lanes under regular conditions and three lanes during emergencies or controlled situations.
Chairman of the Suriname-Guyana Chamber of Commerce (SGCC), Dr. Vishnu Doerga in May 2025 said that the construction of the bridge is a necessity and not luxury.
Doerga stated that the Corentyne River Bridge will be the spine of a new trade corridor reducing transportation costs, accelerating business and encouraging cross-border investment.
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- Corentyne bridge, Corentyne River Bridge project, Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, Guyana and Suriname
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