Guyanese officials and their Brazilian counterparts are scheduled to meet for another round of talks this month at the level of the Guyana-Brazil Joint Commission on Infrastructure Development as both countries seek to expedite the process of deepening bilateral cooperation.
This was highlighted by Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana Luiz Seixas De Andrade during a reception to observe the 191st anniversary of the Federative Republic of Brazil, at the Brazilian Embassy last Friday evening.
The joint commission meeting will prioritise the move to pave the long stretch of road from Linden to Lethem, establish a deep water harbour and evaluate the possibilities of a hydro power plant to supply energy to both countries.
The first meeting of the Working Group on Infrastructural Projects was held in February after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana’s Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Brazil’s External Relations Minister Antonio Patriota that brought it into being in December last year.
The priority areas are what both countries see as prerequisites to the opening up of new avenues to promote investment and build economic and trade relations between the two neighbouring countries.
The fulfillment of a commitment at the level of the working group to conclude proposals in July this year, relevant to implementing the major infrastructural projects was welcomed by President Ramotar.
“It is envisaged that this enhanced partnership between our two countries will not only increase the prosperity of our two peoples, but would also redound to the benefits of the region as a whole. Our infrastructure projects, while of national significance will form part of the wider South American physical integration programme,” President Ramotar said at the reception.
Improving the Linden-Lethem Road has been in the making since former Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva promised to support the effort when the bridge across the Takutu River separating the two countries was commissioned in 2009.
Deepwater Harbour
A deepwater harbour and hydroelectricity were the other priority areas, the two countries had also agreed during bilateral discussions.
Having partnered in military, security, agriculture and aquaculture at the bilateral level and shared the same vision for development at the level of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), both countries are optimistic about the future.
Guyana became an associate member of Mercusor, after signing a framework association agreement, and according to the Brazilian ambassador, this step will “certainly open more opportunities for the development of Guyana’s trade and economic ties with Brazil and with all other member states of the trading bloc”.
The Guyana government has promised to deepen its involvement in Mercusor, when President Ramotar met South American leaders at a summit in Brasilia last December. Mercusor is a regional trade agreement among Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The Guyanese head of state believes the agendas of both Caricom and Mercusor are inseparable and inextricably linked.
Optimistic that Guyana can achieve its development goals through alliances with other countries, President Ramotar is pleased with the significant advances that have been made between Guyana and Brazil within the last few years.
