Guyana, Suriname & French Guiana Ink Security Pact

• Guyana has signed a security agreement with Suriname and French Guiana that Georgetown says marks a pivotal step towards enhancing cooperation and addressing shared security challenges.
• A statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the “Common Security Master Plan” will bolster regional security and defence and followed “a day of intensive dialogue” among Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana and Brazil on Monday.
• “The dialogue highlighted the critical importance of a unified approach to understanding the regional strategic defence and security environment. Emphasis was placed on collaborative efforts to combat security threats and address challenges affecting the populations, territories, maritime space, and interests of the countries,” the ministry said
• It said that the signing of the Common Security Master Plan marks a significant milestone in the collective efforts of Guyana, Suriname, Brazil and French Guiana to ensure the safety and well-being of their citizens and territories.
• “This collaboration underscores the commitment of the nations to regional security cooperation and paves the way for a more secure and prosperous future,” the statement added.
• This comes at a time when Guyana continues to face security threats, including the threat of annexation, from its neighbour Venezuela over the ruling and control of its oil-rich western territory, the Essequibo region. On April 3, 2024, Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro, passed a law declaring the border region of Essequibo, which belongs to Guyana, a Venezuelan federal state. This resulted in Guyana meeting with the UN Security Council in private on April 9, to discuss the developments regarding the territorial dispute between the two countries and to reiterate the country’s commitment to a peaceful solution to the border dispute.

(Sources: St. Vincent Times & NCBCM Research)