Guyana and Brazil this week signed an updated air services agreement to further enhance air connectivity and the operation of air services between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement was signed during an official visit to Brasilia from Tuesday to Thursday by Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge and Minister of Public Infrastructure David Patterson, following an invitation from the Foreign Minister of Brazil Aloysio Nunes.
The ministry said in a statement yesterday that in addition to the updated air services agreement, a technical cooperation agreement was also inked to provide support for seed certification, pest risk analysis and modernisation of plant health services in Guyana.
The ministry noted that the two countries held discussions in Brasilia on a range of issues on their bilateral agenda, including the development of infrastructure linking the two states, the promotion of trade and investment, and technical cooperation in agriculture, water resources management and other areas, as well as collaboration on issues of interest to the communities in the region of their common border.
They also agreed to pursue cooperation in the oil and gas sector as well as to work towards an agreement on cooperation and facilitation of investment, it added.
It noted that during deliberations with Minister Nunes on Wednesday, talks centered on the development of infrastructure linking Guyana and Brazil, the promotion of trade and investment and technical cooperation in agriculture, water resources management and other areas, as well as collaboration on issues of interest to the communities in the region of the Guyana-Brazil border.
Additionally, in the area of infrastructure, it said, focus was placed on steps to be taken jointly to advance the paving of the Linden to Lethem road as a complement to work already initiated covering the Linden to Mabura Hill segment and the bridging of the Essequibo River at Kurupukari.
Further discussions led by Minister Patterson with representatives of the Brazilian ministries of Energy and Mines, Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, and Planning identified even further cooperation possibilities in support of infrastructure development, including capacity-building, and the opening up of opportunities to companies from that state to bid for contracts in the sector, the ministry added.
Meanwhile, it was noted that Greenidge and Patterson used the opportunity to meet with members of the Guyanese community living in Brazil to update them on developments in Guyana and prospects for the future.
The Guyana delegation also included Director General of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Audrey Jardine-Waddell, Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil George Talbot, Chief Road Transport Officer Patrick Thompson, Legal Adviser to the Civil Aviation Department Amanza Desir, Counsellor of the Guyana Embassy Megayla Austin, and Brazil Desk Officer in the Foreign Ministry Sondra Cheong.
