evidence: France and Suriname share 520km of border along the river Maroni. This common border brings common interests and challenges as regards development, infrastructure, migration and security. The Maroni region is historically a population basin rather than a tight border. The Surinamese civil war led to an influx of refugees from Suriname to French Guiana. These were essentially Maroons from the inner regions, thousands of whom remained in Guiana after the end of hostilities. Since the border re-opened in December 1991, traditional trade flows have been able to resume. Suriname has expressed the desire to strengthen relations with France, as shown by the decision to open an embassy in Paris in 2011 and the ratification on 26 October 2017 of the police cooperation agreement signed in 2006. France has also expressed strong interest in boosting bilateral relations. This came to fruition in autumn 2017 and was confirmed by the visit to Paris of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Pollack-Beighle. During her visit, she signed, alongside the French Minister for Overseas France, Ms Girardin, the maritime delimitation agreement establishing the border between France and Suriname from the Maroni estuary.