GUYANA’S historic relationship with Pakistan can be extended further according to the new Pakistani Ambassador to Guyana Miangul Akber Zeb, who presented his letters of Credence to President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday at State House.
Resident in Ottawa, Canada, Ambassador Zeb, during an invited comment to the Government Information Agency (GINA), described the Guyana/Pakistan relationship as historic given the common interests which the two countries share as members of the Commonwealth and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) among others.
“Both of us strive to achieve regional peace and stability. Both our countries have made efforts to bring about a more equitable world order. This was Guyana’s initiative which we fully supported in the United Nations and both of our countries have embarked on a better future for our people,” Ambassador Zeb said.
Guyana and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in November 1967 and have since maintained that relationship at the level of the UN, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 77.

During the period 1991 to 2005, Guyana was represented in Pakistan by its Honorary Consul, Abdul Kader Ahmed and in 2008, the then Pakistani High Commissioner Musa Chohan met Government officials and private sector representatives in Guyana to pursue expansion of trade relations between the two countries and expressed interest in establishing a Guyana trade mission in Pakistan.

Both countries have, over the years, expressed desire to pursue opportunities for enhanced cooperation in human resource development, science and technology, information technology, trade and investment.

Strengthening of the Guyana/Pakistan relationship can be extended further in many areas according to Ambassador Zeb who alluded to culture and trade as the two prospects. Guyana also broke new ground in its bilateral relations when the first ever Filipino Ambassador to Guyana, Eva Batita presented her letters of Credence to President Jagdeo at State House.
The relationship between Guyana and the Philippines dates back to August 2008 when it was first established but has since been limited to collaboration at the multilateral level through the UN and the NAM where both countries are members.

Ambassador Batita told GINA that during her tenure she intends to concretise the two countries’ relations, particularly in the area of natural resource management.

“We share the advocacy of the President in protection of our environment, so forest conservation is one area,” Ambassador Batita said.
Prior to the presentation of the credentials, both Ambassadors called on Minister of Foreign Affairs Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.