As Government plans to close the Enmore and Rose Hall Estates later this year, the final payment of some .5 billion – intended for diversifying and/or improving the sugar industry – has been received from the European Union (EU).
“We provide $2.4 billion to the Government to improve sea and river defences and made the final payment of $5.5 billion under the Sugar and Compliance Measure to help Guyana’ sugar industry improve its competitiveness and/or to diversify out of the sugar industry,” EU Ambassador Jernej Videti? said.
President David Granger and EU Ambassador Jernej Videtic shares a toast at the EU day celebrations
The EU representative was at the time addressing a gathering at the Europe Day reception, and signalled the bloc’s commitment to supporting the transition of Guyana into a green state. He added that the EU was committed to ensuring development in all fields occur, citing the recent signings of two important contracts that would provide protective services for people at risk of suicide and to help protect the rights of Indigenous communities.
He lauded the country’s visionary approach in dealing with international issues and expressed satisfaction at the level of similarities between the EU and Guyana. “While we may have common values, there are some areas which we are not completely aligned [in] and I would encourage the Government of Guyana to abolish the death penalty, to strengthen the efforts to combat gender-based violence and Trafficking In Persons and to decriminalise same-sex relations,” he urged.
President David Granger said Europe Day symbolised the quest for peace through economic cooperation and integration. He added that Guyana welcomed Europe’s assistance in enhancing its capacity for climate change adaptation and risk reduction as identified by the European Development Fund (EDF).
“Guyana is on its way to becoming a green state; one in which economic prosperity will be balanced by environmental sustainability. We look forward to Europe’s continued support in advancing green state development, one that is consistent with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change,” the President said.
He lauded the strong partnership framework that the country has enjoyed with the EU and which has seen cooperation in areas such as agriculture, health, education, housing, sea and river defence infrastructural development, the sugar industry, and security. However, the President noted that for development and economic partnership to occur, Guyana needed to gain more access to the European markets for export services.
He also said that Guyana hoped for a “beyond 2020” partnership between the African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (ACP) and the EU. “Guyana anticipates that the forthcoming negotiations on the post-Cotonou ACP-EU relations will produce an enhanced framework for development assistance, for economic relations, and for political cooperation,” Granger added.
Europe Day is annually observed on May 9. It is a celebration of peace and unity in Europe. This year, Europe also commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which founded the European Economic Commission, which essentially laid the foundation for what is today the EU.
