GDF honours international military partners at 60th anniversary event

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Tuesday hosted a Military Partners Day at the Officers’ Mess, Base Camp Ayanganna, to recognise and celebrate the long-standing relationships Guyana shared with its international defence partners.
The event formed part of the GDF’s 60th anniversary observances and brought together representatives from Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, India, Suriname, the United Kingdom, the United States, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, and the Regional Security System (RSS). Ambassadors, defence attachés, Branch Heads, Senior Officers, and Warrant Officers of the GDF were also in attendance.
The ceremony featured presentations reflecting on decades of diplomatic and military cooperation, including training exchanges and capacity-building programmes that continue to strengthen the professionalism and operational readiness of the Force. Several beneficiaries of these programmes shared brief accounts of how international collaboration has enhanced their expertise and broadened the GDF’s technical capabilities.
GDF Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, emphasised the importance of principled security partnerships in his remarks. He noted that these relationships supported conflict prevention, encouraged knowledge-sharing, and facilitated the exchange of critical information necessary to combat drug trafficking, transnational crime, and terrorism. Brigadier Khan also underscored the value of cooperation in natural-disaster response and in building a proactive, resilient regional security framework.
He reaffirmed that mutual respect for sovereign space and a shared commitment to democratic values remain central to Guyana’s defence partnerships.
As the GDF commemorates 60 years of service, Tuesday’s gathering highlighted the continuing role of international partners in advancing national security, regional stability, and the ongoing professional development of the Force.
The evening concluded with an opportunity for partners to socialise and strengthen bilateral and multilateral ties.