MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, is expected to appeal to regional leaders to support Guyana’s Chairmanship of the Group of 77 (G77) when she represents this country at the upcoming CARICOM Intersessional Meeting in Barbados this week.
The conference is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, and Wednesday 19, in Bridgetown, Barbados. Dr. Cummings will represent President David Granger at the meeting, which she hopes “will be productive, and further cement CARICOM’S relevance; resulting in tangible solutions and constructive and positive outcomes.”

This year, the Caribbean leaders will focus their deliberations on regional issues, such as improving the impact and effectiveness of the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME), security, action against crime and violence, health, including a regional response to the coronavirus, as well as CARICOM’s advocacy against blacklisting, de-risking and withdrawal of correspondent banking services, and information and communications technology (ICT) matters, among others.

Meanwhile, Minister Cummings also intends to encourage CARICOM Member States to participate in the Third South Summit, which will take place from April 17-19, 2020, in Kampala, Uganda. That forum is the key decision-making body of the G77. According to the Foreign Minister, “As Chair of the G77, Guyana will strive to enhance unity and cohesion of the Group in order to propel the vision and goals of this august body.”

Furthermore, Guyana will seek CARICOM’s continued support for the maintenance and preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. During the week of 23 March 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has scheduled a hearing on the controversy arising from Venezuela’s contention that the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 establishing the boundary with Guyana is null and void. Guyana became a Member State of CARICOM on August 1, 1973. The headquarters of the regional body is located in its capital, Georgetown.