Guyana is UK’s largest regional trade partner – Ambassador

Guyana has emerged as the United Kingdom’s largest trade partner in the Caribbean region, attracting interest in the establishment of a British Chamber of Commerce locally.
Last year, trade in goods and services between the United Kingdom and Guyana was £560 million. This represented 21.6 per cent of trade facilitated between the Caribbean region, making Guyana the largest trade partner in the region.
Back in 2011, the exchange of goods with Guyana was pegged at £94 million, expanding six times since then.
For her platinum jubilee achievement and 96th birthday celebration, a reception was hosted for Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the British High Commissioner to Guyana. British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, OBE, alluded to new linkages between the United and Guyanese businesses in propelling trade relations.
“We’re now in the process of developing a more formal framework that will enable a deeper relationship, including for future commercial engagements…You might experience over the last year, the enormous opportunities for further growth of this relationship…In addition, we continue to explore the opportunity of the establishment of a British Chamber of Commerce in Guyana,” the diplomat suggested.
Since last year, former acting British High Commissioner Ross Denny had outlined his surprise that there was no British Chamber of Commerce. One of his high priorities during his brief tenure was to change this, and efforts were already mobilised to support this.

Already, there is an American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Guyana) and a Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce here.
Apart from Guyana, the High Commissioner said work is continuing with the wider Caribbean Community in pursuing mutual trade and climate change agenda.
“I am honoured to continue the work to deepen our partnership with the UK and Caricom. Caricom is an important partner to the UK. We have a longstanding partnership based on shared values in advocating for faster and further action on climate change, advancing trade or advancing for the protection of human rights and democracy on the world stage.”
Guyana, as part of the wider region, will continue engagements with the United Kingdom to build capacity for small and developing states.
The High Commissioner told attendees, “We will work together in building capacity on issues like cyber-security and we will continue to advocate for access to finance. We will also work with a number of technical agencies to support good governance, disaster risk reduction, trade, regional security and so much more.”
President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, however, acknowledged that in ensuring readiness to undertake new avenues, understanding the opportunities that exist for both countries will prove beneficial.
“I think we are on a great platform and we have great representation that can open up the gateway of opportunities. We have to be ready, be committed and we also have to play our part in going after these opportunities. Before you go after the opportunities, you have to understand the nature of the opportunities,” Ali reiterated.
The Guyanese Head of State would have met with Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson in April, an engagement which has tightened relations between the two countries.
“We’re not talking about MoUs anymore. We have advanced the relationship between Guyana and the UK to deem what we call Government-to-Government cooperation, and defining and developing a Government-to-Government partnership.”
To mark Guyana’s leadership on the international stage, the President called for collective action from the GOVERNMENT, private sector, citizens and stakeholders from all cross-sections.
“The relationship with the UK has blossomed in what I would describe as technical assistance with a full-fledged partnership,” he underscored.