Foreign Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett said the “real work” begins as Guyana steps into its role as chair of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and according to her, support will flow from across the region.
The meetings held in Georgetown were successful, Rodrigues-Birkett said, noting that the agenda was followed and all scheduled sessions completed during the summit. “The agenda was a packed one, but we managed to get everything in and the discussions were fruitful. I believe the most important achievement was the approval of the democratic charter,” the minister told Stabroek News on Monday.
Guyana now has to get “on top of things”, according to her, and this involves working on the immediate goals of the UNASUR. The goals include raising the profile of the union internationally, and focusing on political stability across the region.
The Declaration of Georgetown which came out of the summit deliberations had referred to the “UNASUR Fund for the Reconstruction of Haiti” which was set at US$100 million, and member states who had not yet contributed were called upon to do so. Minister Rodrigues disclosed that Guyana has contributed in full to the fund, explaining that