WASHINGTON, CMC—The U.S. State Department announced Wednesday that Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins, The Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, will arrive in Guyana on Thursday for a two-day visit.
It said that while in Guyana, the Under Secretary will participate in bilateral meetings, meet with officials at the Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, and attend side events to underscorU.S.the U.S. commitment to arms control, nonproliferation, and international security.
A release from the U.S. embassy in Georgetown said that Jenkins will also be engaging the local press.
In the last few months, high-ranking U.S. government officials have visited Guyana for meetings with government officials. The U.S. has long described Guyana as a strategic partner in the Western Hemisphere that can assist Washington in curbing narco-trafficking and gun-running in the region—the U.S.The U.S. recently announced that it would continue its partnership in assisting the Guyana government in several areas, including the commencement of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) capacity-building training program to bolster Guyana’s counternarcotics capacity.
The two sides have also been looking at the deployment of a technical Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) team to support the Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance border security at significant ports of entry throughout the country and a new US$350,000 investment under the “Better Police Readiness Programme” implemented by the Pan American Development Foundation to support the Guyana Police Force’s ongoing implementation of its 2022-2026 Strategic Management Plan.
On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole D. Theriot, speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the Guyana Defence Force Ship (GDFS) Shahoud, said Guyana’s extraordinary economic growth and development are transforming the “land of many waters,” and the GDFS Shahoud reflects the country’s unwavering commitment to its defense and security.
“With the commissioning of this near coastal patrol vessel (NCPV), the GDF will have extended range and advanced capability to conduct maritime patrols along the coast and into the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” she said, adding that the commissioning of GDFS Shahoud signals the Guyana government’s commitment to the rule of law and the rules-based international order.
She said that the embassy, in coordination with the U.S. Southern Command, will continue to provide subject matter expertise, training, education, and other maritime-focused security cooperation and security assistance opportunities to ensure that Guyana, as a like-minded partner, continues to modernize and professionalize its defense force.
“We have just recently approved the allocation of approximately one million U.S. dollars towards the sustainment of the Coast Guard’s other vessels and USCG-provided training for Guyana’s Coast Guard.”
She said the United States would continue to work alongside “our Caribbean partner to achieve collective security and regional stability for an open and secure Western Hemisphere.
“Together, the United States and the government of Guyana will uphold our commitment to peace and prosperity for all,” the diplomat added.
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