THE Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Natural Resources, hosted a dinner Tuesday evening in honour of a visiting delegation led by Erik Solheim, International Environmental Advisor and Former Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway.
Accompanying him were representatives from the King’s Foundation: Ben Bolgar, Jeremy Cross, and Savini Rajapakse.

During their stay, the delegation explored Guyana’s rich natural heritage, visiting Kaieteur National Park, Iwokrama and various Amerindian communities.
These visits allowed the team to witness, firsthand, the progress made in these communities using funds from Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The delegation was impressed by the villages’ sustainable development efforts.
Erik Solheim, a key figure in environmental diplomacy, addressed the public during an event hosted by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
He also participated in a high-level discussion with Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, reflecting on past and future collaborations between Guyana and Norway.

In November 2009, former President Bharrat Jagdeo and Erik Solheim signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which Norway committed up to US$250 million by 2015 for Guyana’s efforts to avoid deforestation. This landmark agreement represented the first international financial commitment to the LCDS and established a unique partnership between a developed and a developing country.

Among those in attendance at last evening’s dinner were Senior Minister within the Office of the President, Dr. Ashni Singh; Minister of Local Government, Savitri Sonia Parag; and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Joslyn McKenzie, along with other representatives from various agencies and organisations involved in environmental and development sectors.

The visit by Solheim and the King’s Foundation delegation signifies continued international collaboration toward sustainable development and environmental preservation in Guyana.