Foreign Secretary hails Guyana-US strong military collaboration, strategic partnerships

– says partnership is key factor in enhancing defence capabilities

Hailing Guyana’s strong military collaboration and strategic partnerships with the United States of America (USA), Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud has revealed that the USA is making tangible contributions not only to energy, where it is Guyana’s main partner, but also in the area of enhanced security.
In a post on social media, Persaud reflected on the Guyana-US strategic partnership, which he referred to as “not only functional but special”. According to him, the US has been playing a key role in helping Guyana to enhance its defence capabilities.

“The longstanding Guyana-US defence partnership has been manifested through strong military-military collaboration that aims to enhance defence capabilities and military readiness to respond to security threats,” he explained.
“This collaboration comprises military equipment acquisition, upgrading of military infrastructure, disaster relief, and capacity building of officers of the GDF through continuous training in a wide range of topics. Our security collaboration has been bolstered in countering transnational organised crime, illicit drug trafficking and law enforcement both at the bilateral and regional levels.”
One of the reasons why the partnership is an enduring one is due to the shared goals and mutual interests between the two countries. These interests extend not only to energy, security, defence and economic development, but also to the rule of law, democratic principles, and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty; something that has been emphasised by President Irfaan Ali.
“The US Government is contributing to enhanced security through projects like the creation of digital labs across Guyana, continuous operations training of drugs law enforcement officers by the US Drug Enforcement Operations (DEA) and the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), and forensics reform in the Caribbean through the Regional Security System (RSS),” Persaud wrote.
“The US remains Guyana’s main energy partner. The presence of major US energy companies is contributing to energy security within Guyana and the Caribbean. The approval of a historic US$526 million loan by the US Export-Import Bank to fund the Gas to Energy (GtE) project is instrumental in this effort.
Persaud also reflected on the massive impact that the GtE project will have on Guyanese, once the 300 megawatt (MW) natural gas plant is operationalised. He also acknowledged the US’s contributions to food security.
“In the area of food security, the US continues to be a reliable partner. Importantly, the US remains a reliable defender and a consistent supporter of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which was reinforced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to Guyana in March 2025,” he wrote.
Only recently, it had been revealed that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in collaboration with the Florida National Guard and US Air Force South, would be strengthening their strategic defence partnership in the area of cybersecurity and cyber defence through a Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE).
In a social media post, the GDF said that the exchange, hosted by the GDF’s Signal Corps, brought together officers and ranks from the GDF’s Cybersecurity and Information and Technology Departments with cyber specialists from the Florida National Guard.
The multi-day engagement featured a series of collaborative presentations, discussions, and hands-on exercises designed to enhance cyber resiliency and operational effectiveness within the digital domain.
According to the army, this cybersecurity-focused SMEE is part of a broader series of bilateral military exchanges between the GDF and the US military, aimed at strengthening defence cooperation, improving interoperability, and supporting the professional development of cyber personnel from both nations.
The sessions addressed key areas of modern cyber defence, including defensive cyberspace operations, cyber domain awareness, workforce development, and overall cyber resilience.
Both GDF and US experts delivered presentations that highlighted real-world tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), creating opportunities for mutual learning and the exchange of operational insights.
This initiative aligns with the GDF’s ongoing transformation agenda, which prioritises the development of a more adaptive, technologically capable force ready to meet the complex challenges of the digital age.
The army stated that by engaging in capacity-building efforts like this SMEE, the GDF continues to strengthen its national security posture and institutional knowledge in the cyber domain.