–as authorities forge ahead with plans to leverage skills, capital overseas

AS part of efforts geared at encouraging Guyanese living aboard to tap into the myriad of opportunities available locally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will be hosting a massive, virtual diaspora conference on May 22, 2021.
On Thursday, during a press briefing, Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Robert Persaud, highlighted the ministry’s plans to host this conference, emphasising that such an event aims to “elevate” efforts related to diaspora engagement.
President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, will be making the feature address at this conference. It is also expected that key ministries and government agencies, wherein members of the diaspora may have an interest in engaging, will be part of this conference.

Some of the agencies which will feature prominently during the conference are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; Ministry of Housing and Water; the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest).
Subsequent to the conference in May, Persaud said that there will be follow-up engagements at the country or regional level.
Shortly, the registration avenues for this conference will be made available. Since the conference is a virtual one, there is no limit to how many persons can register and attend.
Registration, according to the Foreign Secretary, would help the ministry populate its diaspora database.
“That will be an important virtual diaspora conference which we hope will attract the type of participation and the results that are necessary,” Persaud said.
As part of the impetus to engage the diaspora and encourage investments in the development of Guyana, the government has been crafting a national Guyana Diaspora Engagement Strategy and Plan of Action.

Within this broader policy framework, there will be specific emphasis on re-migration and the establishment of a well-functioning structure for re-migrants. Additionally, focus has been placed on facilitating sustained collaboration between the government, civil society, the private sector and the diaspora.
Persaud said too that the ministry has been working with its overseas missions to “ramp up” diasporic engagement activities.
Though he acknowledged that a few of these missions are without their heads of mission – that is, the Ambassadors or High Commissioners – he affirmed that the efforts geared at promoting and facilitating diaspora engagement have not been severely limited or restricted.

DIASPORA DESKS
Importantly, he noted that the establishment of a “Diaspora Desk” at the Consulate in New York has been yielding positive results for Guyana. This desk was established about two months ago with the aim of promoting trade and investment from the diaspora. There is a designated officer manning this desk in New York.
“It has proven very effective and it is something that we can seek to, in time, replicate, even utilising our existing staff, not necessarily going and appointing new persons all the time,” Persaud posited. Further, the Foreign Secretary reasoned: “It is not a situation whereby we’re bringing people here and walking with them and leading them to opportunities. We want them to be in touch with the various agencies – private and public – and to search out for themselves what are the opportunities.”
The role of the ministry, and its diaspora unit, specifically, would be to offer guidance and raise awareness on the activities taking place in Guyana, according to the Foreign Secretary.
Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector has opened doors for new areas of investment, while strengthening traditional sectors. In January, during an interview with US-based radio personality Farook Juman, President Ali said there is “great potential” for the diaspora to bring their capital resources back home.