Trade barriers take center stage as key Foreign Affairs body meets

Sep 30, 2020 News

Representatives from the public and private sectors yesterday gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre for a meeting of the National Advisory Committee on External Negotiations (NACEN).

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Waldron engage attendees in discussions on trade developments

Representatives from the public and private sectors gather for the first NACEN meeting of the year

Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, delivered the opening remarks in which he highlighted NACEN’s role in the advancement of Guyana’s trade and investment interests.
The Foreign Secretary also encouraged stakeholders to view NACEN as a mechanism to apprise them on trade developments and resolve trade issues promptly.
Further, Foreign Secretary Persaud, according to a statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the Foreign Trade Policy is executed comprehensively for the benefit of all stakeholders.
“Our quest for modernization and shared prosperity, as outlined by His Excellency President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, demands a unified and inclusionary approach as we make Guyana a model of transformation and progress,” the Foreign Secretary said.
In addition to reviewing issues raised during the 50th Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) Meeting, stakeholders engaged in discussions on barriers to trade related to catfish, anti-dumping legislation, fishery subsidies, trade policy responses to COVID-19, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Joint Statement (JSI) on Electronic Commerce, among others.
Stakeholders also discussed the formation of technical working groups to further address specific issues.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Waldron, also addressed attendees.
She echoed the Foreign Secretary’s remarks on the importance of the advisory body and pledged to continue work closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation as the Government seeks to build domestic productive capacity to enhance Guyana’s trade performance.
Established on September 1, 1997, NACEN serves as the main consultative body to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on the conduct of external negotiations and the Foreign Trade Policy Programme.
Members of the committee consist of key Government ministers, and representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society, and academia.

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