BritCham signs biodiversity conservation pact with Iwokrama Centre

The Iwokrama Centre (IIC) and the British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham) on Wednesday signed a pact to promote and support conservation and sustainable forest management in Guyana.
At the signing ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Iwokrama, Dane Gobin, welcomed the collaboration between the two entities.
“The Centre warmly welcomes this partnership with BritCham, as it is testimony to the good intentions of the chamber’s membership in Guyana to operate in accordance with environmental best practices. This news is timely, and comes a few months after the Centre announced that King Charles III has renewed the Royal Patronage of Iwokrama”, he said.
The MoU would allow IIC and Britcham to collaborate and promote, through Iwokrama, projects and activities related to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS): including, but not limited to, sustainable rainforest management and coastal and marine ecosystems, and action on climate change.
The partnership is keen to develop and implement joint initiatives, which can include collaboration on social and biological assessments, education and awareness, livelihoods initiatives, research, sustainable forest management, and fundraising.
Chairman of BritCham Guyana, Faizal Khan, has said the MoU reaffirms his organization’s commitment towards preserving Guyana’s unique biodiversity.
“BritCham Guyana is proud to partner with Iwokrama Conservation through this MoU, reflecting our commitment to sustainability and responsible business.This partnership aligns with our mission to balance economic growth with the preservation of Guyana’s unique biodiversity. Inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, Britain’s Head of State and Patron of Iwokrama. We are dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and environmental stewardship across our network.”
Also present was British High Commissioner to Guyana, H.E Jane Miller, who noted, “The UK has had a very long relationship with Iwokrama, and is delighted by this partnership. The British High Commission remains committed to working with Guyana to preserve this country’s stunning nature and biodiversity. This MOU between BritCham and Iwokrama is another testament to this commitment.”
The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development (Iwokrama) is an autonomous, non-profit institution established by Guyana and the Commonwealth.
Through the dedication of approximately 360,000 hectares (nearly one million acres) of intact tropical rain forest by the Government and People of Guyana to the International Community, Iwokrama aims to show how tropical forests can be conserved and sustainably used for ecological, social and economic benefits to local, national and international communities.
The responsibility for management, conservation and sustainable development of this forest area (the Iwokrama Forest) was entrusted to the Iwokrama International Centre through the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development Act, Act No 7 of 1996, and an Agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Commonwealth signed in November 1995.
The Iwokrama Centre is, as an autonomous corporate body, governed by an International Board of Trustees.
Six percent (approximately 22,000 hectares) of the Iwokrama Forest is legally owned by Fair View Village through Amerindian Land Title, obtained in July 2006.