EARLIER this month, United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, visited the region, including stops in Guyana and Trinidad where he participated in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting and the 50th Anniversary celebration of CARICOM.
With former Secretary Mike Pompeo’s visit in September 2020 – the first-ever visit by an American Secretary of State to Guyana, this is the second time in four years that the top U.S. diplomat has made the trip. This is a clear message and confirmation that America views Guyana as an emerging geopolitical player in the region and a valued partner.
Secretary Blinken’s visit was aimed at strengthening ties between the U.S. and Caribbean leaders, including addressing key regional challenges such as food and energy security and decarbonisation, climate resilience, regional migration, and building local capacity. The visit also highlighted Guyana’s goal of rapidly developing its oil and gas sector to fuel its economy while remaining committed to developing a low carbon economy around conservation and resource management.
During a joint press conference with Secretary Blinken, President Irfaan Ali highlighted that Guyana and the United States “share common interests in three very important areas; those are food security, energy security, and climate security. Guyana is contributing significantly in all three of these areas and the vision is to position our country to be a leader, a global leader on energy security, food security, and climate security and we are seeking to expand our partnership with the U.S. in all of these areas.”
Both Secretary Blinken and President Ali emphasised the importance of their respective country’s bilateral relationship, especially considering the U.S. is Guyana’s number one trading partner.
Secretary Blinken, in his remarks, noted the co-operation underway in the areas of energy, security, and trade. “Our own Export-Import Bank is working closely with the Guyanese Government on a major gas-to-energy project that’s going to cut emissions by 50 percent. American companies can bring unparalleled expertise, high labour and environmental standards, and transparency to help power Guyana’s dynamic growth, to advance regional energy security, to deliver tangible benefits to all the people of Guyana,” Sectary Blinken stated. He went on to say that the United States “aims to become Guyana’s partner of choice on energy security and energy transition.”
He also highlighted the large role the U.S.-based Guyanese diaspora is likely to play in building greater trade and investment links between the two countries.
Earlier this year the International Energy Conference and Expo held in Georgetown brought together energy professionals, companies, foreign dignitaries, and Heads of States to discuss the important concerns affecting the regional energy sector, climate change, and best practices to maximise the benefits of local content development in both Guyana and the region. Guyana will increasingly play host to major hemispheric and regional gatherings as it is uniquely positioned as both an emerging energy leader and a global leader in sustainability.
Just in the last year Guyana has earned US$1.24 billion from oil revenues and royalties. More than 30 discoveries have been made offshore Guyana, with 10 new discoveries in 2022 alone and Rystad Energy found that Guyana is leading the world in offshore discoveries since 2015.
Increased interest from the U.S. in Guyana is a positive sign that growth at home is translating into greater diplomatic support abroad at a critical time for the country. With a growing roster of discoveries, rising production and the world’s fastest-growing economy, Guyana is well-positioned to take on a greater global role while improving lives at home.
