Strengthened military ties was one of the areas of discussion on Monday between the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and a visiting US defence official.
Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Omar Khan welcomed US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere, Daniel Erikson, and Amon Killeen from the Western Hemisphere Office of the Under Secretary of Defence for a courtesy call and meeting at Defence Headquarters on Monday, January 8, 2024.
Commander of the Office of Security Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy, Lieutenant Colonel John Oeffinger also accompanied the officials, a release from the GDF said.
Also on the GDF team were Colonel General Staff, Colonel Kenlloyd Roberts; Colonel Administration and Quartering Captain (CG) Vernon Burnett; Staff Officer One Special Duties, Lieutenant Colonel Selwyn Austin; Staff Officer One General Three – Operations and Training, Colonel Andy Pompey and Officer Commanding of the Signal Corps, Commander Roger Nurse.
During the meeting, the release said that Brigadier Khan expressed his appreciation for the existing relations between Guyana and the United States, underscoring the importance of collaboration in addressing shared security concerns. Erikson, on his first trip to Guyana, conveyed his pleasure at visiting during this period of development in the region.
Discussions between the officials covered a wide range of topics, the release said, focusing on areas for further defence cooperation. Both parties highlighted the mutual interest in strengthening diplomatic and military ties to enhance security and stability in the Western Hemisphere.
Erikson and his team also visited Base Camp Stephenson where he interacted with the Commanding Officer of the Training Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Eon Murray, and other Senior Officers.
“As the dialogue between Guyana and the United States continues, both nations look forward to a strengthened partnership for the benefit of regional security”, the release said.
