Two years of continuous production and exports from Suriname's two gold mines should continue to support positive real GDP growth as well as higher levels of current account receipts and a near-balanced current account. However, postponing value-added tax implementation has pushed out the improvement expected in fiscal balances and debt and interest burdens until at least 2020, offsetting the improvement in the country's external position. Accordingly, we are affirming our 'B' long-term sovereign credit and 'B' senior unsecured debt ratings, as well as our 'B+' transfer and convertibility assessment on Suriname. The stable outlook reflects our expectation that, in the next 24 months, real GDP growth will remain positive. On April 18, 2019, S&P Global Ratings affirmed its 'B' long-term
