THE US Embassy in Georgetown recently hosted a Department of Commerce “Trade In the Americas” delegation consisting of five firms representing some US$205M in revenue from across the United States.

According to a release, the firms were part of a larger trade conference that took place in Miami and brought together nearly 200 firms which were interested in the Caribbean market.

Select firms travelled to Guyana and other Caribbean nations during the week.  The US businesses participated in meetings with local firms throughout the Caribbean’s key sectors such as energy, infrastructure and agriculture.

During their October 25-28 visit, the companies held a productive day of meetings with key private sector contacts and experts to highlight Guyana’s business environment; learn about the Government of Guyana’s efforts to promote investment and economic diversification;  explore market-entry strategies, foster partnerships, and develop closer trade ties between Guyana and the US.

The release noted that the US and Guyanese participants stressed the serious potential for future partnerships and business deals as a result of their meetings.

The US firms were very impressed with Guyana’s private sector and the opportunities their over 30 engagements with local organisations provided for partnerships, the release added.

“With 23 markets and 41 million people, the Caribbean presents a growing opportunity for US companies.  The delegation sought to capitalise on the strong bilateral trade relationship between the US and Guyana, with bilateral trade reaching $1.4 billion USD in the first half of this year alone. These initiatives are part of the United States’ goal to advance prosperity in Guyana and the region,” the release concluded.