The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the United States Navy are conducting a joint exercise offshore Guyana, the United States Embassy in Georgetown has announced.
The U.S. Navy cruiser USS NORMANDY and the Guyana Defence Force patrol vessel SHAHOUD are conducting joint exercises in international waters and within the Guyana Exclusive Economic Zone to exercise communications and interoperability, and practice joint maneuvers, the Embassy said.
In a brief statement announcing the exercise, the US embassy explained that the exercise is a valuable opportunity for both the U.S. and Guyana Militaries and it reflects the close relationship between the two countries and the strength of the military-to-military cooperation.
This is not the first time that Guyana is conducting a joint naval operation with the US. In recent years, the US Coast Guard conducted several joint patrols with the GDF Coast Guard in Guyana’s territorial waters to combat illegal fishing.
During that operation, the US used its Cutter Stone vessel to patrol alongside the GDF’s Metal Hawks and the Eagle.
The naval operations between the two countries stemmed from a Ship-rider agreement signed in September 2020 by then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and GDF’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess.
The agreement allows the US Coast Guard to patrol Guyana’s waters alongside the GDF Coast Guard to combat illicit activities.
The announcement of the current exercise comes on the same day that the US Secretary of State is on a visit to Guyana, and follows the recent incursion by the Venezuelan navy in Guyana’s waters near to the oil ships offshore Guyana.
The US and the international community have condemned Venezuela’s latest acts of aggression and threats towards Guyana.
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