Niermala S. Badrising, a former minister of foreign affairs for Suriname, presented her credentials as her country’s ambassador to the United States on July 21, 2017.

Badrising was born July 4, 1962, in Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname. She attended Anton de Kom University of Suriname; earned a master’s in international development studies from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, Netherlands in 1987; and in 2007 a master’s in international relations and diplomacy from Tufts University’s Fletcher School.

Badrising joined Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989. She served in various capacities there until moving to the office of Suriname’s president in 1998. She was senior adviser and chief coordinator for international affairs under three presidents. In 2010, she also served as assistant coordinator for free and fair elections.

She came to Washington in 2011 as ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as representing Suriname at the Inter-American Development Bank and at the World Bank. Badrising served in the rotating position of chair of the Permanent Council of the OAS in the first quarter of 2015.

In August 2015, Suriname President Dési Bouterse appointed Badrising his foreign affairs minister. She served in this position until February 2017. During her tenure, the government of Suriname increased its economic and political ties with various Muslim countries, in particular Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and with the Islamic Development Bank.

In April 2017, Badrising again assumed the position of Suriname’s representative to the OAS.

Badrising has one son.

-Steve Straehley

To Learn More:

Official Biography