Foreign Minister calls for investment in Guyana at Berlin forum

May 31, 2019 News

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karen Cummings, recently called on German companies to invest in Guyana, while noting that

Karen Cummings (centre) with German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas (sixth from left) and Caribbean Foreign Ministers

her Government was committed to building a more robust and diversified economy.
Dr. Cummings was attending the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative and Future Forum for Governments from the region.
The event was organised by the Federal Government of Germany and hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Heiko Maas.
The two-day conference, held on May 28 and May29 and attended by 26 Latin American and Caribbean Foreign Ministers, as well major German business executives and experts, was aimed at deepening cooperation between Germany and the regional States.
It was expected to conclude with the Foreign Ministers of Latin America and the Caribbean adopting a Joint Declaration.
Minister Cummings also highlighted Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040, noting its importance in guiding her country’s policy-making agenda as well as its prioritization of environmental conservation, sustainable growth and development of a green economy.
“Our strategy provides significant opportunities for profitable investments,” she emphasized, further outlining that, “We welcome foreign investments, integrated agriculture and agro-processing zones, green and clean technology, engineering services, tourism economic zones, pharmaceuticals production, information and communication technology, and mining.”
Meanwhile, alluding to additional areas for partnership, the Guyanese Foreign Minister noted her Government’s role in efforts to address climate change, such as its agreement with the Kingdom of Norway which aims at providing the world with a model of how the REDD+ [reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation] mechanism could align development objectives of affected countries.
“Guyana, like many developing states, continues to support calls for greater support to be provided to vulnerable countries for urgent implementation of climate change initiatives,” Minister Cummings stated.
Minister Cummings led a five-member delegation that included Guyana’s non-resident Ambassador to Germany, David Hales.