President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday accepted Letters of Credence from Mario Chan as the Non-Resident Ambassador of the Philippines to Guyana and the Letters of Commission from Ignatius Graham Mudzimba as Non-Resident Ambassador of Zimbabwe, according to an Office of the President release.
In his remarks at the ceremony, the President spoke about bolstering relations with both the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Zimbabwe. He posited that partnerships with like-minded countries and institutions are key to achieving “the sustainable development goals of eradicating poverty, ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.”
Ali told Ambassador Chan, “My Government is working towards expanding and diversifying all sectors of the economy with special emphasis on agriculture… agriculture is an important sector in your country’s economy; it is a driver of growth and development and a significant employer. Guyana is keen to explore opportunities for cooperation in this area.”
He also spoke about climate change and its devastating effect on the people of the Philippines.
Further, in an effort to increase people-to-people contact, the Government of Guyana will examine the proposal for the conclusion of a partial visa waiver agreement for travel between Guyana and the Philippines.
Chan in his remarks said that the Philippines is interested in further expanding cooperation in the fields of hydropower, technology and the sugar industry.
And to Ambassador Mudzim-ba, the Head of State spoke of the importance of agriculture and food production.
“My Government has placed a great emphasis on the transformation of our agriculture sector with a focus on diversification of food production, coupled with a focus on soil care. I believe that these are areas where Guyana and Zimbabwe can find synergies for shared technologies.”
