Guyana and Brazil to beef up anti-narcotics collaboration

….to resume talks on road project

Guyana and Brazil have agreed to intensify collaboration in the area of security and the fight against illicit activities and organised crime through the exchange of information and expertise.
They have also agreed to resume discussions on the completion of the Guyana-Brazil Road Project as well as of the implementation of the “International Road Transport Agreement.

This is according to a joint statement issued by the Government Guyana following a working visit by Ernesto Araújo, Minister of External Relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
The Minister was accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry of External Relations and the Federal Police of Brazil.

During the visit the minister and delegation met with President Irfaan Ali, Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President, Hugh Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 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.

On the security front 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”

They also agreed to advance discussions on energy cooperation, including environmental aspects, through the exchange of technical missions and information; to pursue greater collaboration between the health officials as both states continue to grapple with the ill effects of COVID-19.

Additionally, according to the joint statement, the sides agreed also 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.

They also agreed 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;

The countries will convene in Georgetown in January 2021 a meeting of the Guyana/Brazil Group on Consular Cooperation as well as a Technical Committee Meeting, under the aegis of the Partial Scope Agreement, with a view to expand trade and investment.

The statement said the two countries will continue political coordination and dialogue on regional issues, with an emphasis on the promotion of democracy and shared prosperity and also discussed the impending visit byJair Bolsonaro, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil to Guyana which is anticipated to take place in the new year.