CABINET has approved the appointments of several senior diplomats from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ghana, Turkey, Romania, Slovenia and Zambia, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has disclosed.

In a very detailed press release, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said Cabinet approved the appointment of Sandra Lang Linkensederova as Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of the Czech Republic to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. She will replace Jiri Havlik, whose term of service has ended and will reside in Brazil.

Diplomatic relations between Guyana and the Czech Republic were established on January 1, 1993.

“Collaboration between the two countries often occurs at the multilateral level through international bodies such as the United Nations and the European Union. In an effort to enhance relations between the two countries, Guyana and the Czech Republic signed cooperation agreements on cultural, scientific [sic] and trade,” the ministry noted.
Nicolai Prytz, Non-Resident Ambassador Designate of the Kingdom of Demark to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, will replace Kim Højlund Christensen, whose term of service has concluded, the ministry said.

Prytz currently serves as Director-General at the Danish Consulate General in Shanghai, China, and previously served at Danish Missions in Brazil and Argentina.

Diplomatic relations between Guyana and Denmark were established on November 16, 1979, and since then Guyana has benefited from bilateral assistance in the areas of agriculture, civil aviation and education.

The two countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which five manatees were given to the Odense Zoo of Denmark. Prytz will reside in Brazil.

Cabinet also approved the appointment of Abena Poku Adompim Busia, High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of the Republic of Ghana.

Currently, Busia is chair of the Women and Gender Studies Department and an associate professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey. She is also Board Chair of the African Women’s Development Fund-USA.

Since establishing diplomatic relations on May 14, 1979, Guyana and Ghana have worked closely under the African Liberation Movement during the 1970s. Today, Guyana continues to celebrate Ghana Day, a practice established since the late 1950s.
Cabinet approved as well the appointment of Hayriye Nurdan Erpulat Altuntas as Non-Resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of the Republic of Turkey to Guyana.

In the case of Turkey, diplomatic relations were established on May 2, 1973 and cooperation between the two countries often occurs at the multilateral level through the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

“In 2017, Guyana and Turkey signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment for political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The MoU was signed on the margins of the Turkey- CELAC Quartet meeting, held in Istanbul, Turkey.

“Additionally, during the first Turkey-CARICOM Cooperation Consultation Mechanism held in 2014, Guyana and Turkey signed the Abolition of Visa Requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports, along with an Air Services Agreement,” the ministry detailed.

Ambassador Designate Erpulat Altuntas will reside in Caracas, Venezuela.
Stefan Mera, Non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of Romania to Guyana, will succeed Marinel Loana. He joined the Romanian Foreign Service in 1992 after serving as a translator and literature teacher. Mera is currently accredited Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Brazil, and had previously served as Minister/ Counsellor to the EU Working Group for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Diplomatic relations between Guyana and Romania were established on June 20, 1973.
Since then, Guyana has benefited from technical assistance stemming from a 1975 Agreement on Cultural and Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Additionally, many Guyanese have benefited from medical and mechanical engineering scholarships extended by the Government of Romania.

More recently, a Romanian delegation led by Ambassador-At-Large for the United Nations Security Council, Daniela Gitman, met with Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, during which they discussed mutual areas of interest, including the possibility of establishing a Romanian Honorary Consul in Guyana.
It was disclosed too that Cabinet has approved the appointment of Stanislav Vidovi? as Non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of the Republic of Slovenia to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Diplomatic relations between Guyana and Slovenia were established on April 20, 2007.
Lastly, during this round of approval, Cabinet approved the appointment of Her Excellency Alfreda Chielkwa Kansembe Mwamba as High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Designate of the Republic of Zambia to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

In 2017, Mwamba was appointed Ambassador to Brazil. She previously held a number of positions in the Zambian Government, such as Deputy Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister within the Ministry of Home Affairs, among others. Guyana and Zambia established diplomatic relations on February 11, 1971.

The two countries were engaged in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). While both countries also are both active within the African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the Commonwealth, they are currently seeking to further develop relations.