President Irfaan Ali says that the Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) signed between Guyana and the Dominican Republic will create strong and significant value for both countries, ultimately positioning them as food and energy security leaders beyond the Caribbean Region.
President Ali made the statement following the signing of six MoUs on Tuesday between the Government of Guyana and the Dominican Republic.
In brief remarks, President Ali, who is leading a delegation to the Dominican Republic for an official visit, said the MoUs allow the states to demonstrate their “collective resolve in addressing some of the major crises our region and the world is facing today.”
The MoUs will see bilateral engagements and collaboration in areas of agriculture, tourism, and the oil and gas industry, including establishing an oil refinery, a petrochemical plant and a study for participation in Guyana’s Oil Exploration Block.
He emphasised that the MoUs offer prospects of tremendous value creation that will benefit the citizens of both nations.
“The value creations in these agreements are enormous. The value creation, of course, would lead to job creation. And not only the issue of job creation should be looked at in the value of jobs. But we’re talking about specialised jobs, more highly skilled jobs, that will be created out of these joint initiatives,” President Ali underscored.
According to the Head of State, this partnership will see the transfer of technology, knowledge, and the integration of markets, food systems and agriculture portfolios.
He explained that “there’ll be no conversation on food security, especially in this region, without the two countries being a part of it”.
Similarly, on the energy security front, the Guyanese Head of State said the collaboration between the two countries would allow them to be leaders, forging an alliance through which investment and expertise from the Dominican Republic will finance and support the necessary infrastructure in Guyana.
Explaining the potential benefits of the agreements, President Ali said the energy market will not only be between the two countries and the Caribbean Region but will expand to northern Brazil, where there is a substantial market.
“So now, with the technology you have, with the capital you have, and with these MoUs, that possibility becomes very real…”
Meanwhile, the President highlighted that alongside efforts towards achieving these goals, discussions have also focused on security cooperation between the two nations.
The Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force have initiated engagements with their Dominican Republic counterparts to explore opportunities for increased collaboration.
The Guyanese Leader was keen to point out that even as several areas for partnerships have been identified, this “relationship is one that will expand – it is one that will grow stronger and stronger.”
He revealed that there has been a significant increase in trade as imports of products between the two countries have been climbing, signalling a positive in the partnership.
RELATIONSHIP
President Ali noted that the relationship between Guyana and the Dominican Republic “is built on sustainability, resilience, and a thorough understanding as to the challenges we both face, now and in the future, as to countries, but more importantly, as a region.”
The Head of State said the identification of the common values, understanding and the need for advancing development are pillars which have led to this accelerated partnership through which the people of both countries stand to benefit enormously.
President Ali highlighted that the Guyanese private sector would benefit significantly from the new partnerships, adding that with the agreements in place, Guyanese businesses will have new access to capital, technology, knowledge, and access to big markets and other opportunities.
Another plus for the local private sector, the Guyanese Leader said, is “the commitment of both sides to remove all barriers and advance this relationship…”
“…In this new emerging relationship, it is important that we, at the level of government, send the right signal ensuring that both at the government level and the private sector level, we demonstrate a relationship that is built on trust, confidence, and tone that we set is imperative for the joint collaboration of our private sectors,” President Ali stressed.
Working groups have been established to advance the objectives set out in the agreements.
