GUYANA and the United States have further cemented relations with the recent visit of a high-level Congressional House Committee on Ways and Means delegation. The delegation met with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and other senior government officials.

During the course of the engagements, President Ali re-affirmed the importance of democracy, enhancing trade, as well as the overall strengthening of relations between the two countries.

It is an established fact that the United States was instrumental in the restoration of democratic rule on October 5, 1992 and again during the March 2, 2020 General and Regional elections after the APNU+AFC coalition sought unsuccessfully to derail the electoral process and perpetuate its rule by undemocratic means.

It was the firm and uncompromising stance taken by the United States, the European Union and other friendly nations that helped, as it were, to save the day for democracy in the country.

That relationship has now been taken to a higher level with the visit of the United States delegation to the country. According to the Office of the President, President Ali informed the congressional delegation of developments in Guyana and reiterated his administration’s commitment to a strong partnership with the United States in a number of areas including energy, food security, climate change and national security.

The United States is a major economic player on the international stage and the forging of deeper economic ties with that country is certainly in the best interests of Guyana and the region.

The importance of promoting democracy, the rule of law and respect for international law was also highlighted by the Guyanese President.

The delegation, on its part, commended President Ali for the leadership he has displayed in several areas in the region and pledged continued US support and co-operation in a variety of areas including support for the modernization of the country’s energy and physical infrastructure.

As Guyana takes its place as a key and strategic developmental partner in the region and beyond, the scope for doing business with the country is expanding. Only recently, the Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS) Helena Konig, during a visit to the country, took note of the impressive growth of the country which, she said, has now set the stage to lift the country’s people out of poverty.

She spoke highly of her meetings with ‘friends that share similar values, including democracy, the rule of law, human rights and human dignity, freedom and inclusiveness’.

The fact is that Guyana, and both the United States and the European Union, have much in common in terms of the embrace of shared norms and values especially in terms of adherence to democratic principles and the rule of law. There is also an underlying philosophy of a market-oriented approach to development.

The role of the private sector as the catalyst for economic development has also been emphasized and, according to Ms. Konig, there will soon be an EU Chamber of Commerce in Guyana. Both the United States and Canada have already established chambers of commerce in Guyana and, with the establishment of an EU chamber in the country, investment, trade and commerce is likely to have an even greater boost.

Guyana is certainly making its presence felt on the international stage, both as a place to do business and as a tourist destination, for which President Ali and the PPP/C administration must be given full credit.