HIS Majesty King Charles III attended a business reception in Georgetown on Friday, celebrating the growing trade and investment relationship between Guyana and the United Kingdom, with bilateral trade reaching approximately £2.2 billion and UK Export Finance increasing its financing support for Guyana to £3.5 billion.
Hosted by the British High Commission on Friday as part of the King’s official state visit, the reception brought together representatives of British and Guyanese businesses, private-sector organisations and the government to highlight commercial partnerships and opportunities for further investment.
Among the major projects highlighted was the ongoing redevelopment of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, including a new 150,000-square-foot arrivals terminal being delivered by British company Mowlem, with support from UK Export Finance (UKEF).
The project represents an investment of approximately US$65.5 million and is expected to significantly increase the airport’s passenger-handling capacity.
The new terminal is designed to process 1,000 passengers per hour, with the capacity to expand to 1,500. Once completed, the airport’s annual capacity is expected to increase to as many as 2.5 million passengers.
The wider redevelopment will also separate arrivals and departures and introduce improved passenger-processing and baggage systems, alongside additional retail and lounge facilities.
During the reception, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, highlighted the increase in UK Export Finance’s country risk appetite for Guyana from £3 billion to £3.5 billion.
He also pointed to Guyana’s recent reclassification under the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country- risk framework, moving from Category 5 to Category 4, with the United Kingdom supporting the development.
The reclassification is expected to improve Guyana’s access to international financing and strengthen its attractiveness as an investment destination.
His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Amy Barklam, said the relationship was increasingly defined by delivery and shared ambition.
“British expertise and innovation are supporting Guyana’s priorities, while Guyana’s remarkable growth is creating new opportunities for UK businesses,” she said.
Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance, Tim Reid, said the increased financing appetite reflected Britain’s commitment to supporting major infrastructural projects in Guyana, while also creating opportunities for British businesses and jobs.
Meanwhile, Mowlem Director Phil Atkinson announced that the major construction works phase of the airport’s Terminal 2 project would commence imminently.
He described the terminal as a potential catalyst for aviation-sector development and long-term economic growth, adding that the company was committed to delivering the project safely and to high standards.
Guyana is the United Kingdom’s largest trading partner in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with bilateral trade reaching approximately £2.2 billion in the four quarter to the end of the first quarter of 2026.
The growing commercial relationship has also been supported by stronger travel and business links. Guyanese citizens gained visa-free visitor access to the United Kingdom in November 2022, while British Airways launched direct services between London and Georgetown in March 2023.
The British Chamber of Commerce Guyana was also established in 2023 to strengthen trade, investment and business connections between the two countries.
The reception underscored the UK’s continued interest in Guyana’s expanding economy, with financing, infrastructurak development and private-sector partnerships forming key areas of co-operation. (News Room)
