Suriname is set to vote this Sunday in pivotal presidential and general elections that could shape the country’s oil-fueled future.

With billions at stake and eyes on neighboring Guyana’s success, voters will choose who will steer Suriname’s energy policy over the next five years.President Chan Santokhi is seeking a second term, facing strong competition from Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of the National Democratic Party.

Both candidates have signaled strong support for accelerating oil exploration.”More drilling in Suriname’s offshore basin is vital,” said Geerlings-Simons. Santokhi echoed the sentiment, emphasizing his administration’s openness to major international companies developing local projects.

French oil giant TotalEnergies, alongside Shell and Petronas, is already investing heavily in Suriname’s offshore potential. The headline project is GranMorgu, a $10.5 billion oil venture expected to begin production in 2028.

TotalEnergies has projected recoverable reserves of more than 750 million barrels from the development. The project will include a massive Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit capable of handling 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that by 2028, Suriname’s GDP could surge by as much as 55%, thanks to GranMorgu’s output. “In the long term, the oil reserves are not as large as that of Guyana, though Suriname is able to ramp up production rapidly,” the IMF stated.

As global energy giants bet big on Suriname’s future, the outcome of Sunday’s election could determine how—and how fast—the nation taps its offshore wealth.