Guyana and the upcoming South America Arab Summit - Where are the diplomats?

Guyana and the upcoming South America Arab Summit – Where are the diplomats?

Sep 12, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
The Third Summit of South American and Arab Countries (ASPA) will be held in Lima, Peru on October 1, 2012 and will bring together leaders of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Arab League, including 12 and 22 countries respectively.
As of now, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI; the Emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani; the Prime Minister of Kuwait, Jaber al Sabah; Lebanon’s President Michel Sulaiman; Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas; and the Secretary General, of the Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani; and the Arab League Secretary General, Nabil El Araby have confirmed attending.
Indications are strong that the new President of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi, who is keen to diversify Egyptian relations, will be in Peru.
According to Peruvian Deputy Foreign Minister, Jose Beraún Aranibar, the two-day summit will focus on political dialogue and cooperation. A business forum and bilateral meetings between the leaders of South American and Arab countries will be held on the first day of the summit.
This is why it is essential that Guyana is represented in Peru at the highest level, and at the foreign ministerial meetings prior to the heads of state summit. The Foreign Minister of Guyana, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, herself should participate in this summit.
Interestingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana can’t confirm whether President Ramotar will travel to Peru.
Since this is a heads of government summit in Guyana’s backyard, South America, it is expected that Ramotar will attend and given the fact that he is new in office, this is the forum to expand bilateral ties with member-states and especially in the areas of trade and investments.
If indeed President Ramotar is keen to advance ties with UNASUR and GCC countries- Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman, one would expect him in Peru.
This could very well be the best opportunity for Dr. Odeen Ishmael, Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, to familiarize himself with the leaders of the region, since he will be appointed Ambassador to Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Ishmael participated in the last preparatory meeting in Cairo where they drafted the final text of the final declaration of the upcoming summit. However, the section on Syria is yet to be finalized, since the situation there is “fluid and on-going.”
Former President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo’s attempt to visit Qatar was cancelled twice and there is much talk about Guyana seeking investments from the Qatar, one of the world’s richest countries.
Rodrigues-Birkett and Odeen Ishmael should already be setting the groundwork for a bilateral meeting between the Emir of Qatar and Ramotar in Peru given the fact that Ramotar sent a letter immediately after taking office to the Emir of Qatar expressing Guyana’s desire to forge stronger economic and political cooperation with Doha. However, Guyana is not serious about foreign direct investments.
If Georgetown is keen to solicit investments, it must build institutions, end the bureaucracy and corruption, and employ homegrown talent regardless of race and political affiliations to improve the foreign ministry.
R. Chickerie

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