Ernesto Araújo, Minister of External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil, today paid a working visit to Guyana, where he met with President Irfaan Ali; Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd; as well as the Attorney General and the Ministers of Agriculture, Public Works, and Home Affairs.
The two sides reviewed the existing programme of cooperation between Guyana and Brazil and agreed to the implementation of a number of measures aimed at expanding and strengthening collaboration at the bilateral and regional levels within the context of existing cooperation mechanisms.
Following frank exchanges, they agreed on modalities for advancing the cooperation agenda in the areas of infrastructure, trade and investment, health, agriculture, energy, tourism and security.
In this regard, the following decisions were taken:
i. To resume discussions on the completion of the Guyana-Brazil Road Project as well as of the implementation of the “International Road Transport Agreement”;
ii. To advance discussions on energy cooperation, including environmental aspects, through the exchange of technical missions and information;
iii. To pursue greater collaboration between the health officials as both states continue to grapple with the ill effects of COVID-19;
iv. To implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the “Technical Feasibility Studies for the Installation of Optical Network from Boa Vista, Brazil to Georgetown, Guyana”, signed during the visit, while recognizing the importance of establishing digital connectivity infrastructure between the two countries.
v. To intensify collaboration in the area of security and the fight against illicit activities and organized crime through the exchange of information and expertise. To this end, the two sides signed the “International Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the Federal Police of the Federative Republic of Brazil”
vi. To increase collaboration in agricultural matters, including technical cooperation in pest and disease management, as exemplified by the ongoing joint Carambola Fruit Fly (CFF) monitoring activities;
vii. To convene in Georgetown in January 2021 a meeting of the Guyana/Brazil Group on Consular Cooperation;
viii. To convene a Technical Committee Meeting, under the aegis of the Partial Scope Agreement, with a view to expand trade and investment; and
ix. To continue political coordination and dialogue on regional issues, with an emphasis on the promotion of democracy and shared prosperity.
The two sides also discussed the impending visit by H.E. Jair Bolsonaro, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Guyana which is anticipated to take place in the new year.
