PRIME Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, on Monday night, reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with the State of Qatar during a reception hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in honour of Qatar’s National Day.
Speaking at the event, hosted by Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar, Mohd Ibrahim K.B. Alrumaih, Phillips extended congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and conveyed best wishes to the Government and people of Qatar on the occasion of the 147th anniversary of the country’s unification.
Phillips cited Guyana’s interest in learning from Qatar’s economic evolution and its National Vision 2030, while noting both countries’ alignment on issues of peaceful international engagement.
He said relations between the two nations have advanced steadily since diplomatic ties were established in 1996, supported by high-level exchanges, new diplomatic offices, and agreements on economic and technical co-operation.
The Prime Minister referenced ongoing collaboration in energy and highlighted QatarEnergy’s interest in offshore exploration in Guyana, noting the relevance of Qatar’s experience in liquefied natural gas production as Guyana expands its natural gas sector.
He also pointed to shared priorities, including responsible hydrocarbon development, investments in renewable energy, and commitments to carbon-neutral targets under Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 and Qatar’s 2030 environmental goals.
Phillips said Guyana views Qatar as a key development partner and expressed confidence in continued co-operation across areas such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, education, and South-South development initiatives.
The Prime Minister attended the reception with his wife, Mignon Bowen-Phillips, along with several government ministers and members of the diplomatic corps.