President Bharrat Jagdeo says he is looking forward to a more rounded partnership with Russia when he joined Russian Ambassador to Guyana Pavel Sergiev to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘Russia Day.’
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release Jagdeo made these comments at a ceremony hosted at the Russian Embassy.
In his address the Russian Ambassador “spoke boldly of the country taking the 6th position in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank list of biggest world economies, low debt rate among developed countries and the largest gold and foreign currency reserves in the world.” He also highlighted Russia’s proactive role in world affairs with its foreign policy, strategic partnership in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America, interactions with the Group of Eight, Group of Twenty and other multilateral organisations and associations.
In response, Jagdeo said these achievements have been noted as a product of good leadership and hard work of the Russian people. “We want to congratulate Russia not only for today’s activity, but also for the tremendous strides it has made at home and the significant help it has extended abroad. I think the entire world owes Russia and the people of that country a debt of gratitude.”
According to GINA, with climate change posing a major challenge to world economies, Sergiev said Russia has played a key role in international efforts “to reduce the anthropogenic load on the planet’s climate system and continues to work towards ascension to the most important multilateral environmental agreement.”
At the recent United Nations Framework Conven-tion on Climate Change meeting Russian President Dmitri Medvedev took an active part in the preparations. Sergiev congratulated Jagdeo on being one of the recipients of the Champion of the Earth Award, noting it was “a well deserved recognition of [his] outstanding contribution to preservation of natural resources.” Sergiev also referred to Jagdeo’s recent trip to Moscow and the meetings that gave impetus to Russia-Guyana bilateral relations in the sphere of political, economic, educational and cultural cooperation.
Jagdeo said he was pleased with the friendship Russia and Guyana share, noting that Guyanese, him included, have reaped many spin-off benefits in the education field. “Because of that support many of them (Guyanese) are making significant contribution to national development today,” Jagdeo said.
Guyana has also reaped benefits in the economic sector particularly in the bauxite industry through the Russian Aluminum Company (RUSAL) which has ex-pressed willingness to diversify activities in the country.
The Ambassador also said several gold mining and energy companies are also interested in investing in Guyana. “These positive trends give us confidence in the brighter future of Russia-Guyana friendly ties,” he added.
