PRESIDENT David Granger Wednesday accredited Xoliswa Nomathamsanqa Ngwevela as High Commissioner of South Africa to Guyana. The non-resident High Commissioner will be based in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
During the accreditation ceremony at State House, Main Street, the High Commissioner said in pursuing people-to-people relations, it was imperative that the two countries find ways to boost tourism and travel, “because that is usually a catalyst to include linkages among people, businesses and institutions working together.”
The South African envoy expressed her pleasure at the appointment and expressed optimism that during her tenure there will be a positive difference in bilateral relations.
She said diplomatic relations between t two counties started in 1994 and were enhanced when Guyana opened its mission in South Africa in 2014. She said economic and political ties will be further strengthened.
She said South Africa has resident ambassadors in 196 countries and it is the country’s intention to also have a resident envoy in Guyana sometime in the future.
President David Granger said that Guyana looks forward to cooperating with the Republic of South Africa in the area of climate change and environmental management as part of this country’s continued push toward the development of a “Green State.”
“We look forward to sharing our experiences on the mitigation of the impact of global warming, the demarcation of national parks, the designation of protected areas, the generation of energy from renewable sources and the protection of wildlife with the Republic of South Africa,” the President said.
The two countries established diplomatic ties on November 4, 1994 and President Granger highlighted Guyana’s advocacy in support of the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa.
“Guyana employed every available international forum, including the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations, to agitate for an end to apartheid in South Africa. Guyana sponsored and co-sponsored resolutions, at the United Nations, which condemned this racist system and which called attention to acts of brutality committed against opponents of this system,” the Head of State said.
Additionally, the President said that Guyana welcomed anti-apartheid politician Oliver Reginald Tambo to Georgetown in 1987, celebrated Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 and celebrated the introduction of majority rule in the Republic of South Africa in 1994.
“These events and achievements vindicated the solidarity between our peoples,” President Granger said.