–President Ali emphasises; affirms Guyana is committed to peaceful relations with its neighbours

IN response to recent comments from Venezuela regarding an upcoming visit by British offshore patrol vessel, HMS Trent, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed Guyana’s unwavering commitment to peaceful relations with its neighbours and countries within the region.

“Neither Venezuela nor any other state has anything to fear from activities within Guyana’s sovereign territory or waters. I have iterated before that we harbour no ambitions or intentions to covet what does not belong to us. We are fully committed to peaceful relations with our neighbours and all countries in our region,” President Ali said in a statement on his official Facebook page on Thursday.

The Head of State highlighted Guyana’s steadfast dedication to promoting and advancing peace while simultaneously pursuing national development. He emphasised the nation’s long-standing partnerships with both regional and international states aimed at enhancing internal security.

“These partnerships pose a threat to no one and are in no way intended to be aggressive or constitute an offensive act against any state,” President Ali affirmed.

He reassured neighbouring countries and the international community that Guyana’s collaborations were rooted in the pursuit of mutual benefits and shared security interests.

President Ali concluded by renewing his best wishes to the people of Venezuela, stressing the importance of maintaining positive and cooperative relations with neighbouring nations.

The purpose of HMS Trent’s deployment to the Caribbean is primarily to hunt down drug smugglers in the region. The Royal Navy warship usually operates in the Mediterranean and off Africa’s west coast as part of a long-term security mission. However, the ship was re-tasked to the Caribbean to clamp down on drug runners.

Additionally, the United Kingdom’s (UK)’s decision to send HMS Trent to Guyana is part of a growing UK effort to show international diplomatic support for the country.

The ship is expected to visit regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana, conduct joint activities, and provide support in various areas such as tackling piracy, smuggling, protecting fisheries, counterterrorism, providing humanitarian aid, and search-and-rescue operations.

Illegal fishing and piracy have been significant issues in Guyana’s waters. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities are responsible for the loss of 11-26 million tonnes of fish each year, which is estimated to have an economic value of US$10 – US$23 billion.

In the year 2021, there were 19,000 vessel-days when foreign-flagged fishing boats were recorded within Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In recent years, there have been convictions for piracy in Guyana, with some cases resulting in death sentences. However, the country’s efforts to combat illegal fishing and piracy are ongoing, and further resources and support may be needed to effectively address these challenges.

It is expected that the military exercise with the UK will help Guyana bolster these efforts to tackle such issues.