DEEMING Guyana as an emerging leader of the South American and Caribbean regions, Argentine Ambassador to Guyana, Dr. Felipe Alejandro Gardella has expressed Argentina’s willingness to work with Guyana to aid its transformation.
He offered the good gesture at the commemoration of the 202nd Independence anniversary of Argentina, during a recent reception held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.
And while celebrating the South American state’s independence, the ambassador spoke about bilateral relations between his country and Guyana.
“[During] communication with Argentine diplomats and other foreign colleagues who really know the Caribbean, it has been revealed to me that I’m not far from the truth in considering that the country [Guyana] is emerging, that we will soon see leading the Region,” said Gardella, who assumed his current post one month ago.
Sharing his first impression of Guyana, the ambassador posited, “I have a sense of feeling that I am in the right place, in the right time.”
He added: “I have the privilege of being a witness of this dawn of great Guyana and it is my desire that through cooperation with Argentina, support can be provided to contribute to the manifestation of Guyana’s great destiny.”
This great destiny, he said, does not only stem from the recent discovery of massive oil finds offshore Guyana, but also from the cultural wealth of the country and its stellar Green State Agenda.
He spoke to the noteworthy cultural, religious and racial diversity in the country, where there is evident “peaceful coexistence” and “tolerance in diversity”.
Pledging Argentina’s willingness to work with Guyana, the ambassador shared that a new health project, in collaboration with the Pan-American Health organisation will be developed. Argentina will assist in the installation of laboratories for the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) surveillance. Surveillance of AMR, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tracks changes in microbial populations, permits the early detection of resistant strains of public health importance, and supports the prompt notification and investigation of outbreaks.
These findings are needed to inform clinical therapy decisions, to guide policy recommendations, and to assess the impact of resistance-containment interventions.
Gardella also shared generally that the two countries have come a far way in diplomatic relations, with Guyana traditionally supporting Argentina’s sovereignty of the Malvinas (Falklands) Islands and the surrounding maritime area. And on relations involving Guyana and the Caribbean, Gardella reflected on the humanitarian assistance provided last year through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management agency and The White Helmets Commission of Argentina.
To this end, he affirmed, “In this context Argentina is ready to plan and work jointly with nations of the Caribbean on further issues.”
While extending congratulations to the President, government and people, President Granger hailed relations between the two countries. He also said that notwithstanding the differences between the two countries, in terms of size and distance, diplomatic relations, established 46 years ago in 1972, remain fruitful, particularly in the areas of culture, health, defence cooperation and sport.
And as Guyana looks to deepen relations between Argentina and other South American countries, President Granger noted, “Infrastructural integration with the continent will allow Guyana to more actively pursue its continental destiny.”
Importantly, however, Granger highlighted the role of the two countries in helping other nations to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
“Guyana and Argentina, like states all around the world, are subjected to the adverse effects of climate change [and] in particular the small island developing and low-lying coastal states of the Caribbean are most vulnerable to the threats of droughts, flooding, hurricanes and rising sea-levels,” the President said.
He, however, mentioned that Guyana looks forward to cooperating with the fellow South American nation to boost the capacity of these at-risk states in disaster management and climate adaptation.
He said the two countries have been collaborating under a number of regional and international bodies to advance their common interests in promoting human rights, poverty alleviation, sustainable development and promoting the continent of South America as a Zone of Peace.
