Over 20 companies from countries in Europe have indicated an interest in doing business in Guyana and thus a three-day trade mission is slated to begin on November 20, European Union (EU) Ambassador René van Nes said yesterday.
The Ambassador, at a press briefing held at the EU delegation office in Georgetown, said that the inaugural trade mission was premised on bolstering business partnerships between European countries and Guyana. He highlighted that the trade mission will zoom in on investments and discussions on climate change, renewable energy, financial security, and oil and gas among other areas.
“The focus of this mission will be to go into a number of sectors, to explore areas of development, to look for partners, to look for investment opportunities,” he said. “We are hoping that this will lead to a number of concrete relations [and] investment opportunities that will materialize in the period after that.”
He announced that Nokia (Finland), Siemens (Germany) and Electricite De France were among the companies that would be sending representatives on the trade mission. The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Austria, Sweden, and Ireland were among the other countries mentioned.
He stressed that Siemens, which specialises in technology, engineering, energy, and manufacturing, could play a pivotal role in Guyana.
van Nes reminded that, “the EU Office in Guyana has been working alongside private sector representative bodies here to guarantee that local private sector players can meet with those from the trade mission.”
He also said that Guyana’s economic growth was on an upward trajectory in light of the country’s nascent oil and gas sector.
Schengen visa
The EU Ambassador was asked about the Schengen visa issue, which has constantly been discussed by the government and Caricom since it has been a deterrent for business and relations between Guyana, Caricom and EU territories.
“I can tell you it is important to go ahead even if we don’t have the solution for the Schengen visa,” he said. “I wish I could do more but again it is an important issue and hopefully we can soon find a solution.”
Last year, President Irfaan Ali had urged the EU to put arrangements in place for Guyanese to be able to access Schengen visas here for travel to Europe, rather than having to go to Paramaribo. He had then given a three-month timeframe in which he said he would like to see some resolution. Speaking at the launch of the EU/Guyana Chamber of Commerce, last year, and one of the final engagements of former EU Ambassador Dr Fernando Ponz Cantó, the President had pointed to the urgency for the ease of travel between Guyana and Schengen visa countries.
This year, Ali said that at least five EU countries have agreed to patronize Guyana’s bid for Schengen visa-free travel. He, however, noted that Guyana’s passport must be improved and upgraded with biometrics. Stabroek News reported that during bilateral discussions with Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia Tanja Fajon, Ali had raised the difficulties Guyanese face in having to travel to Suriname for Schengen visa interviews and discussed this country’s nomination letter for visa-free Schengen status and the possibility of an interim in-country processing of Schengen visa applications. They had met on the sidelines of the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) in Brussels, Belgium.
Before leaving for Brussels, Ali had told the Stabroek News that Schengen visa-free status, and in the short-term, the possibility of processing being done here for the visa was something he would “definitely” raise at the meeting.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd had told this newspaper that Ali’s discussion on the visa issue was part of the government’s foreign policy advancement and by extension Guyana’s holistic development agenda, as having European business partners here for the private sector was of key importance.
Yesterday at the press briefing the Ambassador noted that almost all countries now have passports with biometric data, but clarified that the Schengen visa requirement would not be automatically waived when Guyana upgrades its passport.
The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
As it stands, Guyanese must travel to Suriname to apply for a Schengen visa which allows travel through large parts of Europe. The application and processing take a minimum of three days.
