MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Yu Wenzhe on Friday signed an agreement, for the dispatch of the third batch of Chinese Youth Volunteers to Guyana.
This is within the framework of the Agreement on Technical and Economic Cooperation between the Governments of the Republic of Guyana and the People’s Republic of China.
The signing of the agreement for the deputation of the third batch of Chinese youth volunteers is yet another representation of the strengthening of relations between the two countries through people to people contact.


The batch comprises  17 youth volunteers who are specialists in the field of environment engineering, geology, physical education, sports (table tennis and karate), computer technology, agriculture and ornamental horticulture. The volunteers will be placed at the Ministries of Home Affairs, Education, Agriculture and Culture Youth and Sports, the Office of the President and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, for a period of one year.
Guyana benefited from a similar project in 2007 and 2009 which saw the volunteers contributing to capacity and institutional strengthening in the sectors they were placed.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry held a welcoming ceremony Friday, at the Foreign Service Institute, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive where Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth Harper emphasised that the dispatch of the Chinese volunteers indicates the commitment of the Chinese Government to continue assisting Guyana in developing the skills that are critical to national development.
She expressed appreciation to the Embassy of China for sustaining the programme of cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Wenzhe acknowledged the orientation the volunteers had with the senior officials and representatives of the Government agencies to which they are attached. He noted that the session was very rewarding since the volunteers were made more aware of Guyana, its people, government and the environment.
He urged the volunteers to use their skills and knowledge to serve the Guyanese people and to learn as well. In this regard, he emphasised that several of the youths have room for improvement particularly in the mastering of the English Language and during the next year, in addition to serving the people, they will have the opportunity to learn to improve their language skills.
Ambassador Wenzhe stressed the importance of people to people contact between youths of Guyana and China which is crucial to the continuation of relations between the two nations.
Director of the Chinese Youth Volunteers Association, Yang Ye Gong noted that with the promotion of the volunteer programmes in Guyana it will be a better way to improve the relationship, particularly among youths of the two countries.
He expressed appreciation to the Ministries and the Government for making the necessary arrangements for the volunteers who will be sharing the knowledge and skills with the agencies they are assigned to.
The services provided by the Chinese Youth Volunteers are in keeping with Guyana’s National Development Agenda which in part focuses on the enhancement of human resource development and output in the various sectors.
Guyana is appreciative of China’s continued assistance in the provision of expertise through the volunteers programme.