SENIOR officials from Guyana’s national defence and security architecture and the United States Government met at Base Camp Ayanganna on Monday, August 11, 2026, to discuss bilateral defence and security co-operation. The engagement culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the Guyana Defence Force and the United States Department of State concerning the assignment of liaison officers.
Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, and United States Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, co-chaired the engagement. It brought together senior representatives from Guyana’s defence and security architecture, as well as diplomatic, military and law-enforcement officials from the United States. During the discussions,
Deputy Secretary Landau reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening defence and security co-operation with Guyana.

The MoA establishes a framework for the assignment of liaison officers between the Guyana Defence Force and United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) in support of the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-South (JIATF-S) initiative. The arrangement will facilitate closer coordination and communication between the two
defence establishments and strengthen bilateral defence and security co-operation.
The discussions also covered matters of mutual security interest, including regional stability, countering transnational organised crime, and the continued development of Guyana’s defence and security capabilities. Existing areas of bilateral co-operation were reviewed, with attention also given to opportunities for further collaboration.
The Chief of Defence Staff was accompanied by National Security Adviser, Mr Gerald Gouveia, AA; Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency, Colonel Sheldon Howell, MSM; and Director of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, Mr James Singh. Deputy Secretary Landau was accompanied by United States Ambassador to Guyana, Her
Excellency Nicole Theriot; Chief of the United States Military Liaison Group, Captain (USN) Christopher Bernotavacius; Staff Assistant, Mr Will Herter; Political/Economic Chief, Mr Russell Zalizniak; and Drug Enforcement Administration representatives, Mr
Jose Callazo and Mr Logan Council.
The signing of the MoA marks a further step in the Guyana-United States defence relationship. It establishes arrangements for sustained military engagement, professional development and capacity building, while the assignment of liaison officers will provide a direct channel for coordination. The arrangement will support continued co-operation in areas of mutual defence and security interest.