US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot has stated that there is no dominance in the Guyana-US relationship, as she pushed back against suggestions that the partnership was lopsided.

  “It is a partnership – 50/50 absolutely. There is no dominance. It is very, very much a partnership. We feel like we benefit from our relationship with Guyana, hopefully, as much as they benefit from us. It’s a true partnership in every sense of the word,” Ambassador Theriot told reporters.

Ambassador Theriot said the Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defense Partnership, signed this week between Guyana and US represents another step in deepening that partnership, adding that security cooperation between the two countries is “incredibly important.”

Having assisted in crafting the Declaration, Ambassador Theriot told reporters that she was pleased to see it signed.

“This was an agreement between the US Department of War and the Guyanese Government. I was involved in helping them wordsmith it, so I was very, very pleased to see it was signed,” the US Ambassador said.

Ambassador Theriot’s comment follows a recent interview with President Irfaan Ali on CNN, during which he was questioned about the fairness of the Guyana-US partnership.

“We have had excellent relationship with the US, and that relationship is based on some shared values and shared priorities. So, I believe that from our perspective, we have entered into an agreement with Exxon, now Chevron is a partner. CNOOC is a partner and the Government of Guyana, and we have other exploration with other global companies. So, our investment in the sector is pretty diversified,” the President said in response.

 In a statement, President Ali said the latest declaration builds on Guyana’s multi-decade partnership with the United States and is critical to the continued defense of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as it reflects the strategic weight both countries place on the security of Guyana and the Western Hemisphere.

Through the declaration, the U.S. Department of War resolves to provide sustained defense expertise, multidomain training, and combined exercises with the Guyana Defence Force, supporting Guyana’s continued efforts to build a modern and strategic defense architecture.

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