Ali blundered big time!

Nov 11, 2022 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – As US imperialism awaits with bated breath to see whether President-elect of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will recreate the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), or attempt to reinvigorate MERCOSUR and IBSA, Guyana’s foreign policy sadly appears to be like a rudderless ship.

This is no fault of the present leadership in the Foreign Ministry which is headed by a most capable individual. Instead the problems reside at the level of the political leadership where decision-making is concentrated in the hands of two individuals.

 As a consequence, there has been a serious neglect of diplomatic appointments. These in turn have triggered blunders and the inability to read the smoke signals emanating from the main capitals of the world. It is well known that one of the principal tasks of High Commissioners and Ambassadors is to provide the Foreign Ministry with regular reports on political and economic trends in their host country.

 These reports allow for a fair assessment of developments in countries where the country has a diplomatic presence and thus are used to inform foreign policy choices. The absence of substantive Ambassadors to Brazil and Venezuela raises concern as to the sort of briefings the Foreign Ministry is receiving in relation to these key neighboring states

There has not even been an indication that persons have been identified and are waiting approval from the neighboring states. While it does take time for approvals to be had from the host nations, there has been no indication that there is a delay in such approvals. More than 26 months after the Irfaan Ali Government assumed office, Guyana remains without substantive appointments to the two key neighboring states of Brazil and Venezuela. This is inexcusable.

 Second line Diplomats cannot be expected to do the work which is required of an Ambassador. It is under the hand of the Ambassador that dispatches are made to the home countries. The western countries usually file dispatches on every important political and economic development in their host countries, as well as notes on their meetings with important government figures

 This gives the Diplomat’s home country a fair assessment of what is taking place in the host state. Thus, the political directorate of the home country is able to make strategic decisions based on the information received.

The absence of a diplomatic presence in key states can be costly. Guyana has a territorial dispute with Venezuela. That country has been known to issue decrees appropriating our sea space.  Local Politicians need to keep abreast with developments in that country so that they do not make the wrong calculations and choice. They must know who is saying what, when and where.

Sadly, Guyana does not have an Ambassador to that country. But in Washington there is both an Ambassador and Deputy Head of Mission. Could one of them not have been deployed instead to Caracas?

 Brazil is a major player on the continent. What it does has geopolitical implications. So who is in charge in Brasilia? Who is engaging with the Brazilian Government? Who is monitoring the feeding back Takuba Lodge about developments in Brasilia.

 Earlier this year, the Irfaan Ali Government signed an energy security agreement with Brazil and Suriname. This agreement was ill-advised. Not only should Ali not have been signing any major agreement with Brazil in an election year but he ought to have been advised that the incumbent President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, was behind in the polls at the time. It was a poor decision by Ali to sign that agreement and even to host Bolsonaro in Guyana.

That agreement involves Guyana trading either natural gas or electricity generated from natural gas – a fossil fuel. But the recent election in Brazil has now thrown up a new candidate, one who is likely to take a far different position from his predecessor when it comes to the environment. Already there is talk that he is likely to unite rainforest countries.

Guyana therefore finds itself in a dilemma. Given the narrowness of Lula’s victory at the polls, he is not likely to have the time during his first term to deal with the Ali administration’s pipe dreams of an energy arc involving Guyana, Brazil and Suriname.  And given Lua’s likely leadership of rainforest countries, he is not going to want to be seen as part of any continental project involving the trading of energy generated from fossil fuels. All of this could have been avoided if Guyana had its man in Brasilia. And with the situation still uncertain in Venezuela, it is all the more worrying that after more than two years no ambassador has been appointed to Venezuela.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflects the opinions of this newspaper.)

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