From November 16 to 18, about 45 traditional authorities, including 5 members of the VSG board, met in Menimi resort, in the Upper Suriname River, to hear about the roadmap developed by Saamaka representatives who were in the Gaan Kuutu in Colombia and, based on it, to define VSG priorities on land rights in 2023. The Observatorio de Territorios Etnicos y Colectivos (OTEC), from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana was at the workshop and presented the process that brought several afro-descendent communities in Colombia, land rights recognition.

Followed by that presentation, Saamaka workshop participants split in groups to discuss what their own first steps would be, in 2023, and which would help them prepare to get their land rights recognized and how they need to get prepared to manage them. Nine steps were prioritized: 1) Attain unity on relevant territorial governance issues and arrive at an agreed vision, 2) Document and map the historical narratives that allow defining internal demarcation areas (i.e. according to clan historical occupation). 3) Develop the guiding principles to formulate territorial management plans, 4) Continue building awareness in the wide Saamaka communities on land rights, forest management and on other related topics where there is poor information, 5) Continue lobbying nationally for land rights recognition and pursue, international advocacy campaigns on the current community forestry model, encroaching forest areas within Saamaka territory (without proper FPIC), 6) work on better information flow within the communities, VSG and outsiders so that communication improves, 7) Work to arrive at an [agreed] structured governance model, including the role of the legal personality, Saamaka women and youth, to be in charge of land rights management 8) Improve conflict mediation skills in traditional authorities and other relevant local authors so that conflicting issues can be properly addressed. 9) Training to traditional leaders, youth and women, so that they can play a more active role in land right processes. These nine priorities will be tackled through strategic alliances between the VSG, Tropenbos Suriname, Pontifica Universidad Javeriana, Colombia, Anton de Kom University and other NGOs allies in Suriname.