These developments will be at the heart of Caribbean Energy Week 2026, where a dedicated technical workshop, “From Policy to Development: Navigating and Maximizing Local Content Opportunities,” will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, educators and local enterprises in Paramaribo from March 30–April 1, 2026. The session will examine how Suriname can implement effective local content frameworks, attract private investment into workforce and skills development and ensure that the benefits of energy sector growth are widely shared. By moving discussions from policy to practical implementation, the workshop aims to equip stakeholders with actionable strategies to build the country’s workforce and local supply chain ahead of major offshore production.

Implications for Suriname

While Guyana’s oil industry is more established, with a Local Content Act passed in 2021 and companies like ExxonMobil already reporting hundreds of thousands of training hours and large local workforces, Suriname is earlier in its production journey. This gives the country a unique opportunity to define its local content strategy proactively, ensuring benefits reach communities and local businesses from the outset

Suriname’s offshore discoveries and advancing projects signal significant economic promise, but capturing these benefits will require deliberate efforts to build local capabilities, stimulate supply chains and engage communities meaningfully. Engaging IOCs early to support education, training and enterprise development – as seen in Guyana – can help Suriname avoid the “resource curse” and foster broad-based growth. This includes vocational and technical training programs, internships and apprenticeships and investments in education infrastructure aligned with industry needs.

Lessons from Guyana

Industry examples from Guyana illustrate proactive local content in practice: ExxonMobil and its partners have spent hundreds of billions of Guyanese dollars with local vendors, employed more than 6,000 local workers, and are establishing a world-class technical training college.

For Suriname, similar partnerships between IOCs and local institutions could include contributions to STEM and technical education, sponsoring specialized training centers in regions such as Nickerie, Commewijne and Brokopondo, and supporting certification programs that enable local firms to compete for energy sector contracts. Government initiatives, such as the planned National Local Content Program set to launch in 2026, signal a policy environment increasingly focused on inclusive participation and workforce development.

By fostering dialogue around practical strategies, success stories and potential challenges, the CEW workshop will give Suriname’s stakeholders the tools to leverage local content for sustainable development. As the country scales its oil and gas ambitions, its people, businesses and communities can be front and center of the sector’s growth – transforming discoveries into tangible social and economic benefits.

Join us in shaping the future of Caribbean energy. To participate in this landmark event, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.