-President Ali says as leaders meet during CARICOM summit
PRESIDENT Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil met with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders in Georgetown, Guyana, on Wednesday to discuss further regional integration and development efforts between South America and the Caribbean.
Prior to the deliberations at the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the chairman of CARICOM and President of Guyana, emphasised that President Lula carries a significant duty to offer regional guidance.
“I see President Lula’s role in the region as critical. He has great responsibly on his shoulders to provide regional leadership. He has already been doing so,” Dr. Ali said on the sidelines during an interview with journalists.
He recalled the leadership and role assumed by the Brazilian Head of State amidst the high tension of the ongoing Guyana-Venezuela border controversy.
“He has reached out to both Guyana and Venezuela; he has ensured that Brazil participated in the initiative, the argyle initiative led by CARICOM; and he is a stabling voice, a voice of reason and I think that his role is as all others to ensure that peace and stability remain and ensure that all parties abide by and act within the confines of [respect for] international law.”
The Brazilian leader, back in December 2023, had joined with CARICOM leaders to facilitate peaceful talks between President Ali and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The momentous gathering resulted in the formation of the “Argyle Declaration,” an 11-point accord that tackles significant issues pertaining to the border dispute, reaffirming Guyana’s steadfast stance that the substantial case is currently pending before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
It is anticipated that Lula will be hosting Presidents Ali and Maduro in Brazil for a subsequent round of discussions, subsequent to their initial meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In the previous month, a delegation led by Hugh Todd, Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, conducted a meeting with Venezuelan officials during a visit to Brazil.
President Ali expressed that the ongoing dialogue between the two nations will pave the way for a forthcoming meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, in accordance with the Argyle Declaration. This 11-point agreement signifies a commitment from both countries to avoid exacerbating the longstanding border dispute between them.
Prior to the meeting of the two South American leaders, Venezuela’s president held a Referendum on December 3, which was seen and feared to be a gateway for the Spanish-speaking nation to further fortify its claims to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, the Essequibo region.
