FOREIGN Affairs Minister, Karen Cummings, recently called on German companies to invest in Guyana, while noting that her government was committed to building a more robust and diversified economy.

Dr. Cummings was attending the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative and Future Forum for governments from the region. The event was organised by the Federal Government of Germany and hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas.
The two-day conference held on May 28 was attended by 26 Latin American and Caribbean foreign ministers, as well as major German business executives and experts. It aimed at deepening cooperation between Germany and the regional states.

Minister Cummings, in her presentation, highlighted Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040, noting its importance in guiding her country’s policy-making agenda as well as its prioritisation of environmental conservation, sustainable growth and development of a green economy.

“Our strategy provides significant opportunities for profitable investments,” she said while adding: “We welcome foreign investments, integrated agriculture and agro-processing zones, green and clean technology, engineering services, tourism economic zones, pharmaceuticals production, information and communication technology, and mining.”
Meanwhile, alluding to additional areas for partnership, the Guyanese foreign minister noted her government’s role in efforts to address climate change, such as its agreement with the Kingdom of Norway, which aims at providing the world with a model of how the REDD+ [reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation] mechanism could align development objectives of affected countries.

“Guyana, like many developing states, continues to support calls for greater support to be provided to vulnerable countries for urgent implementation of climate change initiatives,” Minister Cummings stated.

Minister Cummings led a five-member delegation that included Guyana’s non-resident Ambassador to Germany, David Hales.