– aggressive social and developmental agenda to be pursued
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo said his Government is in full preparation mode to take over the Chairmanship of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) on November 26.
The President said the profile of Guyana will be very high, as it is the first time that a small country like Guyana will be chairing UNASUR, adding that very few countries have had the opportunity to chair UNASUR, prior to Guyana.
The UNASUR conference will be running concurrently with the Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Cancun, Mexico. He explained that while in Cancun, “I will be speaking on behalf of the entire South America.”
President Jagdeo expressed optimism that with Guyana taking the lead on these two major forums, it will lead to other subsidiary benefits for the country.
He stated that there have been some attempts to disrupt the constitutional order in Ecuador, which currently hold the chairmanship of UNASUR.
The Head of State added that “there are many other situations of conflicts across South America; as such Guyana would be expected to play a very active role in ensuring that there is no disruption to constitutional (order) in our hemisphere and also ensuring that we push an aggressive social and developmental agenda.”
UNASUR is an inter-governmental union integrating two South American trade blocs – Mercosur (a regional trade agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) and the Andean Community of Nations (a trade bloc comprising countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru).
Participating nations of UNASUR are Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Chile.
On Thursday, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino paid a courtesy call on President Jagdeo at the Office of the President to discuss handing over of the rotating chairmanship and coordinate the activities of UNASUR.
UNASUR focuses on strengthening relations among South American nations and places emphasis on defence policies, economic development, energy integration, environmental protection, infrastructural development, political dialogue and social cohesion.
Minister Patino told the media that Guyana has a major role to play in implementing UNASUR’s plans.
In August 2009, President Jagdeo joined other Heads of Government of UNASUR in participating in the inauguration of President Rafael Correa of Ecuador for a second term. The summit followed a meeting of the foreign ministers of the group, where they drafted a declaration accepted by the heads of Government at the end of their gathering. (GINA)