THERE is a positive correlation between security and development. A stable and secure environment is necessary for investors’ confidence and sustained economic development.
This is all the more important as the country advances along the path of modernisation and transformation. Guyana is ranked as the fastest-growing economy in the world, which has attracted the attention of the international community.
Guyana is now at a stage in its development when its national security interests must be enhanced. Thankfully, the country is not without friends at the regional, hemispheric and global levels. This has found tangible evidence in the support received by the international community in the face of ongoing threats to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by Venezuela.

Defence and security relations between Guyana and several countries have reached unprecedented levels. This is especially so in the case of the United States and Britain, both of which have committed to unconditional support for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. At a recent reception hosted by the British High Commission to celebrate the birth anniversary of King Charles 111, President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali expressed Guyana’s appreciation for the support of the United Kingdom in support of our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“I want to highlight the growing strength of our relationship at the security and defence level. Never in the history of our relationship would we have had the type of military, security, defence exchanges, training, coordination, collaboration that we have today, and that is remarkable,” President Ali said.
That unwavering support found tangible support in the recent deployment of the HMS Trent to the shores of Guyana to carry out routine defence co-operation and exercises with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Coast Guard. This point was emphasised by British High Commissioner Jane Miller, who noted that the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom is ‘actively involved’ in reviewing the capabilities of the GDF. According to the High Commissioner, “We will be doing some training alongside engagement with the Department of Business and Trade and UK businesses to enhance Guyana’s security and defence.”

It will be recalled that earlier this year Guyana hosted the United Kingdom and Caribbean Heads of Defence Conference attended by top security personnel from the region and the UK. Of no less significance from a security and defence perspective was the prompt visit to Guyana by the UK’s Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley, shortly after Venezuela’s controversial referendum on the Essequibo region.
During that visit, the minister took the opportunity to express his country’s unequivocal backing for Guyana in the face of Venezuela’s territorial claims, which he observed were settled over 120 years ago.
These are indeed positive and reassuring developments which augur well for our continued development and progress. In addition to the strengthening of our defence and military capabilities, Guyana has been successful in the protection of its security interests by way of the creation of a ‘diplomatic shield’ for which the PPP/C must be given full credit.