Secretary Blinken Travels to Guyana

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Georgetown, Guyana on July 6 to meet with President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Foreign Minister Hugh Todd, and key members of the cabinet to discuss priority bilateral issues including food and energy security, decarbonization, climate resilience, forests, Atlantic cooperation, regional migration, and building local capacity.  Secretary Blinken will also meet with members of civil society, government, and the private sector to discuss environmental protection.  Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey Pyatt will accompany the Secretary to discuss energy security and decarbonization of energy production, and Guyana’s plans to finance economic development through further development of its energy sector.

Energy and Environment

While Guyana rapidly develops its oil and gas sector to fuel its economy, it also remains committed to mitigating its climate impact through forest conservation, reducing its carbon emissions intensity by moving away from heavy fuel oils, and making new investments in renewable energy.  American companies are partnering in this effort, and the United States aims to become Guyana’s partner of choice on energy security and energy transition.

Guyana’s contributions to regional energy security include producing over 400,000 barrels of oil offshore per day.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Guyanese Ministry of Natural Resources partner with civil society on environmental oversight, including that of Guyana’s rainforest.

The United States partners with Guyana to achieve shared clean energy goals, most notably maintaining their status as a carbon sink, thanks to the critical role of their forests.  The United States also supports Guyana’s ambitious plans to develop infrastructure and implement energy reforms.

Economy, Development, and Food Security

President Ali’s administration has advanced an ambitious development agenda focusing on re-organizing the oil and gas sector, liberalizing the telecommunications industry, and completing infrastructure projects.

As the Caribbean experiences the highest spike in food prices in a generation, Guyana has led on advancing food security in the region, including through its role as co-chair of the U.S.-Caribbean High-Level Action Committee for Food Security.

To further support this urgent need, we are announcing that the U.S. government will launch a new food security program in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region, designed in collaboration with Caribbean governments, with $5.3 million in food security assistance.  These funds will address food security challenges by promoting sustainable agricultural practices; increasing farmer knowledge; formalizing smallholder market access by building Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) capacity; and improving the region’s access to locally produced food.

Security Cooperation

Later this July, the Guyana Defense Force will host TRADEWINDS, a U.S. Southern Command regional exercise focused on security in the Caribbean. Additionally, the Ali administration continues to work to improve security in Guyana, collaborating with the U.S. government to ensure Guyanese law enforcement receives training to modernize Guyana’s police force and security sector.  International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Georgetown has been instrumental in nominating Guyana Police Force members for the International Law Enforcement Academy, where participants learn effective techniques to combat money laundering, human trafficking, border interdiction, and financial crimes.

Humanitarian Assistance 

Guyana endorsed the Los Angeles Declaration for Migration and Protection and hosts approximately 20,000 Venezuelan migrants.  In FY 2022, UN agencies and NGOs assisted vulnerable migrants and host communities in Guyana with more than $3.5 million in funding from the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.  This funding supports English language education, humanitarian assistance, and access to health care, especially in remote areas of Guyana.