Dear Editor,
Turkey and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in 2011 signed a memorandum of understanding on consultation and cooperation. The agreement was signed by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu and Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque in New York.
“We will have a more systematic cooperation with the Caribbean Community, with which we have a close cooperation for a long time,” Davutoglu said during the signing ceremony.
Turkey is planning to open two new embassies in the Caribbean Community, Davutoglu said, which “will strengthen our presence in the region.” Is Guyana one of them? Guyana has a few advantages: It is home of the Caricom Secretariat and like Turkey, is a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Guyana should push hard to have a Turkish Embassy in Georgetown.
The Secretary General also said they were aware of Turkey’s increasing role and influence in international relations. Turkey is quickly becoming a major political and economic power in the region and beyond in its own right, and its foreign policy is now far more proactive and multifaceted.
Today, Turkey is active in mediating conflicts, developing economic relations, and liberalizing the movement of people in an effort to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Its economy has grown tremendously and it is a leading investor in Africa today.
Relations between Turkey and Guyana are proceeding in a problem-free manner, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The two countries have signed an Economic and Commercial Cooperation Agreement during the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization held in Hong Kong on 13-18 December 2005. In October 2009, then President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Finance Ashni Singh visited Turkey in order to attend the World Bank 2009 Annual Meeting.
According to 2010 data, Turkey’s exports to Guyana totalled approximately US$5.5 million, its imports from Guyana were around US$2.5 million.
The Turkish Ambassador in Caracas is currently accredited to Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Ray Chickrie
