King Willem-Alexander arrived in Suriname on Sunday evening, marking the first visit by a Dutch head of state to the country in 47 years.

The king and queen Máxima landed in Paramaribo around 7.30 pm local time and will spend three days in the country, which celebrated 50 years of independence last week. Suriname became a Dutch colony in the 17th century and gained full independence on November 25, 1975.

The visit is intended to mark the start of a new chapter in bilateral relations, with an eye on the future and recognition of the past, according to the government information service RVD.

There are also significant economic prospects in the former colony. Recent oil and gas discoveries off the Surinamese coast could yield billions in revenue for the country which has a population of just 600,000.

On Monday the king and queen will meet descendants of enslaved people and indigenous communities. On the final day, the royal couple will visit a former plantation area along the Commewijne river.

The last visit to Suriname by a Dutch royal was queen Juliana, who travelled to Suriname in 1978, three years after its independence.