UNITED States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken will meet with President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali today to discuss a range of priorities, including food and energy security, climate resilience, and finance.
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti, Barbara Feinstein, on Friday said the Secretary’s visit to Guyana will further deepen America’s diplomatic engagement with 14 steadfast democracies.
Blinken’s discussions with President Ali will centre on key bilateral issues, including food and energy security and decarbonisation, climate resilience, regional migration, and building local capacity.
During a meeting with the Secretary of State in Washington DC in July 2022, President Ali said Guyana welcomes the opportunity to further strengthen its relationship with the US as a strategic partner, particularly during its period of growth.
He also highlighted the countries’ shared values and their quests to strengthen the region.
In his remarks then, the US Secretary of State said Guyana has been a very strong partner for his country and a global leader. The two countries, he added, will continue to advance discussions and collaboration in areas for co-operation.
Blinken emphasised that the US is eager to continue to deepen and strengthen the partnership, which will also redound to the benefit of the region, since Guyana’s capital ─ Georgetown, is also the seat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The US official’s trip to Guyana builds on US Vice President, Kamala Harris’ visit to the Bahamas just two weeks ago, where she engaged leaders from CARICOM and the Dominican Republic and made commitments on issues of mutual concern.
During the trip, Blinken also visited and engaged the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti on key areas of bilateral concern.
He also met incoming chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and discussed strong partnership on regional migration, security, and renewable energy.
