Guyana's President Holds Talks With US Secretary of State

UNITED NATIONS – The United States Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, has held talks with President Irfaan Ali on “the strong US-Guyana partnership and our shared goal of enhancing security and prosperity for our people and the region”.

Ali is among several  Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders in New York for Tuesday’s opening of the 79th United Nations General Assembly.

US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, told reporters Blinken and Ali, who met on Monday, also reviewed “growing US-Guyana trade and economic cooperation” and “the importance of increasing support to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti so it can fulfill its vital mission to help restore security and democracy for the Haitian people.

“Secretary Blinken underscored our commitment to Guyana’s territorial integrity and the importance of our cooperation under the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) to foster climate resilience and food security in the region,” Miller said.

Prior to their meeting, Blinken thanked Ali for “the partnership that we’ve had between our countries.

“And I have very fond memories of my visit and the incredible hospitality of our friends and colleagues in Guyana,” he said, adding “and we see this partnership in what we’re doing together. We see it in the work that we’re doing together not only between us but also, for example, in Haiti. Guyana’s leadership in CARICOM has been critical.

“And together, I hope we’ll continue to support the Multinational Security Support mission for Haiti, to help our friends there deal with the gangs, deal with the violence, and get on a strong democratic track,” Blinken said, adding “we  are grateful for the partnership between Guyana and the United States in supporting those efforts.”

He also said that the Washington stands “strongly for the territorial integrity in Guyana.

“We’ll continue to stand with you on that and on so many other things”.

The border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela is now before the International  Court of Justicce (ICJ) and both countries are awaiting a ruling on the matter.

Ali said it was “an honor to be here again to celebrate our strong partnership, but also to reiterate our commitment, our shared values in the region – the rule of law, democracies, ensuring that we do all we can for the people of Haiti, support for a multinational force, but more importantly, ensuring that the people of Haiti can return to normalcy.

“The humanitarian effort that is required here is of utmost importance to us and on a bilateral basis a strong partnership continues to be built between Guyana and the United States – expanded trade, great collaboration and cooperation in terms of security,” Ali said.

“And we are committed to the interests of all of us here in the region. And we thank the United States for the very strong support on sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we look forward to expanding and working to ensure the partnership and to grow and strengthen it,” Ali added.