By Abena Rockcliffe
Good faith and optimism for even stronger relations with Guyana were at the core of sentiments expressed today by Javier Niño Pérez, the Deputy Managing Director for the Americas in the European External Action Service. Pérez spoke at a joint press conference with President, Irfaan Ali at the Office of the President where it was announced that Guyana has secured the release of €7.5M in budget support.
While the stated sum has been noted as the final tranche of an overall €34M that formed part of a multi-year agreement between Guyana and the European Union, both Pérez and President Ali were keen to note that it does not mark the end of such relations.
The financial support given to Guyana and other countries of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific grouping is disbursed from the European Development Fund. This arrangement was designed to provide aid after Europe abandoned the preferential market agreement.
Today, President Ali said that a new arrangement is underway. He told reporters that he does not want to preempt engagements but noted that there are strong indications that Guyana and EU will enjoy fruitful relations going forward. That outlook was echoed by Pérez who also said that Guyana has been able to secure the money because of trust that “there is proof of good management. We trust Guyana to manage this money.” In all his utterances, Pérez stressed that the Guyana government currently enjoys the full support of the EU and noted “We trust this government.”
Further to this, the EU official said the union has so much in common with Guyana and wants to forge a continued partnership. He noted too that the EU is looking to secure operational cooperation.
The budgetary support will go mainly towards the government’s efforts to rebuild Guyana’s fragile sea defence.
President Ali said that Guyana has a large developmental agenda and was previously able to secure external funding. He said that there is currently a mistaken narrative that given Guyana’s newly found status as an oil developing country, there is now little need to secure external funding.
The President said that Guyana is not at the stage where it is receiving the hog of its oil revenues and therefore needs to depend on other sources to further its developmental agenda.
