The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday announced that its citizens with diplomatic, private and regular passports can now travel visa-free to Guyana as they will obtain visas upon arrival. According to the statement, Ahmed Alham Al Dhaheri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said that the UAE’s Embassy in Brasilia received a diplomatic note from Guyana’s Embassy in Brazil announcing the decision to grant UAE citizens visas upon arrival in Guyana.
“The initiative of the Government of Guyana reflects the international position that the UAE has adopted and highlights the development of bilateral relations between the two countries and opens up new horizons for the country’s citizens for tourism, investment and trade, which contributes to strengthening the bonds of partnership and relations between the two friendly countries,” the statement said.
It is not clear if this is reciprocal to Guyana as efforts to contact Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge proved futile. However, in 2015 an Air Services Agreement was signed between Guyana and UAE in Canada and in 2013 then President Donald Ramotar met Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for talks while on a visit to Dubai.