Minister of Health declares… ‘Guyana’s continental destiny is growing’ –as Argentina, Guyana seek to foster closer ties
Argentine Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Luis A Martino and Health  Minister,Dr. Bheri Ramsarran at the cocktail reception at Cara Lodge Wednesday evening
Argentine Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Luis A Martino and Health Minister,Dr. Bheri Ramsarran at the cocktail reception at Cara Lodge Wednesday evening

IN order to foster bilateral along with triangular technical cooperation projects in Guyana, the Argentine Embassy on Wednesday staged a cocktail reception in pursuit of enhancing partnership between the countries through the Argentine Fund for South-South and Triangular Cooperation (FO.AR). 

Through this Fund, the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs finances and develops bilateral and triangular technical cooperation projects by means of partnership and collaboration as well as mutual support mechanisms.
In its 20 years of existence, the FO.AR has received over 6,000 requests for technical cooperation in areas in which Argentina has vast experience: cattle, agriculture, farming, food security, health, education, labour, productive development, administration, human rights and democratic governance.

COLLABORATIVE BOND
As such, Argentina is aiming to have a more collaborative bond with Guyana to enhance Guyana in every sector.
The event staged at the Cara Lodge Hotel saw a small gathering, including Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsarran, Argentine Ambassador to Guyana Luis A Martino, Chairman of the Protected Areas Commission Damian Fernandez and Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Mark Phillips.
Dr. Ramsarran, in his opening remarks, stated that this initiative will ideally provide an exchange of resources, technology and knowledge between developing countries like Guyana.
He noted that the Argentine Government is quite active in Guyana’s health sector, emphasizing their recent intervention that saw a number of staff undergoing training in Argentina to reinforce proper health care to Guyanese.
“We have decided to partner with Argentina through the South-South Cooperation project to open a blood bank in Guyana to cater specifically for pregnant women,” stated Minister Ramsarran. He added that this proposal is not confirmed but plans are in place to make it a reality.
Moreover, in relation to Guyana’s continental neighbours, Minister Ramsarran said that Guyana will now be partnering with them given that they are further developed and can assess matters that Guyana would need assistance with.
Meanwhile, the Argentine Ambassador to Guyana in delivering the keynote address, underscored that his country regards its foreign policy as highly significant since it preserves and defends the sovereignty, alongside the interests of the state as well as civil rights, at both the regional and global levels.

HORIZONTAL COOPERATION
“Cooperation should be horizontal with our countries partnering to work together and identify the most appropriate strategies and policies to satisfy our mutual needs and to overcome the challenges posed by our development as sovereign states,” stated the Ambassador.
He then provided insights into the importance of the South-South Cooperation, given that it provides international cooperation for development as well as opportunities for developing countries and countries that pose economies in transition in their individual and collective pursuit of sustained economic growth and sustainable development.
Throughout the last decade Argentina’s South-South Cooperation has received tremendous improvement in the quality and number of projects.
Argentina has been constantly in the quest of developing guidelines of cooperation at a bilateral level with a number of Guyanese agencies and institutions after the reopening of the embassy in 2011 in Georgetown.
Moreover, over the past five years bilateral projects in Guyana and Argentina have been a success in the tourism, culture, defence, foreign policy and health sectors.
As such, both countries are at present working on new projects such as the blood bank and they are also targeting culture and sport.
The ambassador also noted that his commitment in enhancing Guyana through the FO.AR initiative will forever be at its peak in ensuring that the goals of Guyanese institutions are achieved.

(By Shivanie Sugrim)

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