– set to become first Guyanese head of state, and the first CARICOM leader to visit Iran
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (Caribbean Net News) — Guyana’s President, Bharrat Jagdeo, left Guyana yesterday for an official visit to the Middle East that will take him to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Guyanese president is expected to arrive in Kuwait, the first leg of his tour, on Sunday, January 17, where he will have an audience with the Emir of Kuwait, Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and Prime Minister, Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

The Emir of Kuwait will hold a dinner banquet at Al Bayan Palace in honour of President Jagdeo and his delegation.

This will be the second visit to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates by a Guyanese Head of State, the last in 1996 by President Cheddi Jagan.

After Kuwait, the president will travel to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and then to Islamic Republic of Iran, becoming the first Guyanese head of state, and the first CARICOM leader to visit Iran.

President Jagdeo is traveling with a delegation that includes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Presidential Envoy to the Middle East, George Hallaq; Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali; General Secretary of the PPP, Donald Ramotar and President of the Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG), Al Haj Fazeel Ferouz.

This is Jagdeo’s third visit to the Middle East, having visited Cyprus, Libya, Jordan and Syria in 2009 in an effort to seek foreign investments for Guyana.

His planned visit to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait was called off in March 2009 because of the death of former Guyanese President Janet Jagan almost a year ago.

President Jagdeo disclosed his intention to visit Iran in a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador in August 2009.

The Iranian News Agency (IRNA) reported Jagdeo as saying, “Soon, we will get familiar with the capabilities and capacities of the Islamic Republic of Iran during a visit to the country.”

The Guyanese President’s upcoming visit to Tehran will definitely draw reaction at home and abroad and especially from the United States and Israel.

United States, the European Union and Israel are calling for tighter sanctions against Tehran hoping to isolate the country for its nuclear ambitions.

Iran continues to attract high level visits from heads of states from South and Central America and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has been welcome in US backyard, in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Brazil.