Rwanda and the Republic of Suriname have officially established diplomatic relations, Rwanda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations which advances Rwanda’s interests at the UN, said on Monday.

According to the statement, Ambassador Valentine Rugwabiza, Rwanda’s Permanent to the United Nations and Kitty Sweeb, the Permanent Representative of Suriname to the United Nations, signed a Joint Communiqué that establishes Diplomatic Relations between the two countries.

The two Permanent Representatives, the statement said, stressed that today's establishment of diplomatic relations is an expression of the desire of their respective governments to strengthen ties between their countries and expand the cooperation of the peoples of Rwanda and Suriname.

Suriname is located on the northern coast of South America with a long coastline on the Atlantic Ocean and is the smallest country in South America.

A highly diverse country with citizens of South Asian, African and European descent, Suriname has an extensive supply of natural resources such as bauxite, gold, and crude oil.

The vast majority of the country is made up of rain-forest, with much of it designated as nature reserves.

"Both delegations have jointly informed His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations about the establishment of Rwanda-Suriname diplomatic relations today (Monday),” the statement reads in part.

Rwanda has been establishing diplomatic relations paving way for more cooperation with different countries and to widen its influence in the global arena.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of the East African Community Amb. Olivier Nduhungirehe told The New Times that Rwanda was looking to have more cooperation with different countries across the world.

"It is a common practice to establish diplomatic relations with countries. We have been establishing relations with many countries in the past and we want to develop good relations with many countries,” he said.

He added that the establishment of diplomatic relations was a first step towards identifying areas of common interests that would materialize into a framework of cooperation between the two countries.

Nduhungirehe noted that Rwanda has no "limitations to establishing diplomatic relations” with countries.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com