By Svetlana Marshall
Brazil has invited Guyana to participate in the G20 talks on climate change, as the two South American neighbours have renewed their commitment to foster trade and investment in the areas of commerce, infrastructure development, air and water transportation, energy and food security among other critical areas.
President Irfaan Ali and the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, made the announcements during a joint press conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre today after concluding bilateral talks.
Lula, who is on a campaign to revive his policy on “the Integration of the South”, said Brazil is interested in advancing discussions with Guyana on a range of issues.
He said Brazil has invited Guyana to participate in the G20 meetings on climate change given Guyana’s track record in the area forest preservation.
“Guyana is undergoing tremendous endeavor to take care of its forest, that’s why I invited Guyana to participate, as Brazil chairing the G20, to participate in the climate change discussion at the G20. So that they can present the monetization model that they are undertaking here, in terms of preserving the Guyana forest,” President Lula explained.
Under its Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, Guyana is using its natural resources to combat global climate change, while building a foundation for a sustainable, low carbon economy.
It was under that strategy that Guyana signed a REDD+ Carbon Credit Purchase Agreement with Hess Corporation in 2022, which has led to the oil company buying high quality carbon credits from Guyana.
President Lula said with Guyana undergoing “fast-paced” development, there is also significant room for investments in a wide cross-section of areas. As such, he has invited Guyana to send a Business Mission to Brazil to explore areas for trade and investment.
“I asked President Ali to prepare a business mission, that they come and visit Brazil soon to show to the Brazilian business sector the opportunities that Guyana offers Brazilian investors, in the mining field, the energy field, the oil field, and in the agriculture field and also energy transition,” President Lula told reporters.
With some 12,000 Brazilians living here, Guyana is also interested in the integration process. Lula said Brazil is more than willing to provide Guyana with access to Brazilian agricultural goods, particular through the State of Roraima.
President Ali said President Lula’s commitment to regional integration, and his focus on people led development, augurs well for the South American Region.
“President Lula’s commitment to CARICOM, and to Guyana is enormous. His focus is on integrating our people, integrating our culture, integrating our infrastructure and working on a common agenda in addressing important global issues like energy, climate and food security,” President Ali said while commending the leadership of President Lula.
The President also said Guyana and Brazil have the opportunity now to integrate their economies and create enormous opportunities for the people of both countries.
“We discussed not only the connectivity of infrastructure through roads, ports and air transport, but we discussed the connectivity of our peoples, the role of the private sector, the involvement of the private sector, and how we can get our private sectors more integrated to look at the opportunities that exist in both Guyana and Brazil and to look at ways in which we can bring them together in making use of those opportunities,” President Ali said.
He confirmed that Guyana will put together a Government-Private Sector Delegation to visit Brazil to explore opportunities for investment and cooperation. That visit is expected to take place in the second quarter of this year.
The President also said a technical working group will be established to mobilize finance for the deployment of investments in various projects for both Guyana and Brazil.
The two sides also discussed co-operation in the area of defence and security, as well as tourism.
President Lula arrived in Guyana on Wednesday to attend the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government. From Guyana, he is expected to travel to St Vincent and the Grenadines where the CELAC summit is taking place tomorrow.
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