–US official lauds country’s ‘equitable and thoughtful’ sustainable development efforts

BUILDING on the already established shared values and partnerships, officials from the United States of America and Guyana on Tuesday convened a strategic dialogue to advance bilateral ties and mutual development.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, while engaging US officials, highlighted the shared values and goals between the two countries, including democracy, security, and sustainable development.

“This dialogue seeks to build on the friendship and the partnership that exist between our two countries under the bilateral, regional and international cooperation frameworks,” Persaud said.

The foreign secretary further stressed the importance of collaboration in various areas, such as energy, climate change, food security, and economic cooperation.

“United States has long been a valued ally. Our shared commitment to democracy, security and sustainable development forms the foundation of strong bilateral relations,” he added.

In fact, Persaud noted that there has been ‘heightened interaction’ between Guyana and the United States at all levels, referencing the visits of Secretaries of State, members of Congress, and other senior US government functionaries as recent as last week here in Guyana.

“While this dialogue provides an opportunity to take stock of ongoing initiatives in these areas, we are eager to explore ways in which we can better consolidate our collaboration, coordination and cooperation in the future,” the foreign secretary said.

Persaud posited that continued deliberations could pave the way for innovative solutions, and strengthen ties between our two governments.

“Recognising the interconnectedness of our world today, it behooves us to all approach this dialogue with a spirit of openness, understanding and mutual respect, determined to fully explore the partnership between our governments as well as working towards the betterment for our people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Dan Erikson told Guyanese officials that the US has taken note of Guyana’s efforts to develop an “equitable and thoughtful” sustainable development strategy.

“We know that your government is working to ensure an equitable and thoughtful path towards inclusive and sustainable development and safeguarding Guyana’s sovereign wealth through your Natural Resource Fund.

“The United States stands ready to support you in that effort,” Erikson said.

The US, he reiterated, supports Guyana’s inclusive and sustainable development, territorial integrity, and efforts to expand civilian defense institutions.

He further acknowledged Guyana’s efforts, and expressed the willingness to support through training and modernisation.

COMMERCIAL TIES

Recently, US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot highlighted the robust bilateral relationship and thriving commercial ties between Guyana and the United States.

Ambassador Theriot had emphasised the strengthened relationship between the two nations, noting that over 100 US companies are currently operating in Guyana.

“Our commercial ties are deeper than ever. Just a few years ago, we created a few hundred million US dollars’ worth of goods, but last year we surpassed 4.6 billion USD. We now have over 100 US companies in Guyana, and that number is growing every single day,” she stated during a recent engagement.

Ambassador Theriot also highlighted the significant contributions of US businesses to Guyana’s economic growth, which sustain the employment of thousands of locals through trade missions, seminars and interactions between the private sectors.
She expressed hope for a better future for Guyana and all Guyanese, facilitated by these economic activities.

The ambassador had pointed out that US business ventures in Guyana span various sectors. “Energy is, of course, the key economic driver, but we see activities in the areas of healthcare and education, agriculture, and new US technologies are being adopted by Guyanese firms and the government to make them more efficient and competitive,” Theriot said.