Speakers

Melvin Bouva is a well-known figure, a young, dynamic Surinamese leader with an impressive track record at both national and international levels. As a Member of the National Assembly of Suriname, former Vice-Chairman of Parliament, and a key figure within the National Democratic Party (NDP), he has developed over the years into an influential voice in national politics and a respected representative of Suriname on global platforms. Bouva began his political career at a young age. He served as the first Chairman of the National Youth Parliament of Suriname, where he advocated for youth participation in national policymaking. This early engagement in youth development laid the foundation for his later international work. His dedication to youth development led to his appointment as a United Nations Youth Ambassador for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In this role, he represented Surinamese youth on global platforms and promoted sustainable development and youth participation in policymaking. He also served on the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development, contributing to strategic youth policy for the Caribbean region and helping formulate recommendations on youth development on behalf of CARICOM Heads of Government. Parliamentary Career and International Engagement. In 2010, Melvin Bouva was elected to the National Assembly of Suriname. Within Parliament, he held several influential positions, including Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly and Acting Parliamentary Leader of the NDP. His international career expanded in 2011 when he became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), a global platform of parliamentarians from more than 170 countries. He participated in numerous IPU conferences and dialogues on democracy, youth participation, human rights, and sustainable development. A major milestone in his international career came in 2019 when he was elected President of the IPU Forum of Young Members of Parliament, a global network supporting young legislators. From 2019 to 2021, he also served on the IPU Executive Committee, contributing directly to global parliamentary policy. Within the IPU, Bouva played a leading role in GRULAC (the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries), serving as a Board Member and as 2nd Vice-Chairman from 2017 to 2019. His international influence was recognized in 2019 when he was named one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) by the United Nations. Throughout his career, Bouva has participated in numerous international and regional conferences organized by the United Nations, IPU, CARICOM, and other multilateral institutions, representing Suriname in policy dialogues on democracy, youth, human rights, and sustainable development. Since 2020, he has served as a Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Suriname, continuing to contribute his expertise to the country’s foreign policy, particularly in multilateral cooperation. Today, he serves as Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation.