Guyana, UK sign defence pact to boost security cooperation

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday received a courtesy visit from the Minister of State in the Defence Ministry of the United Kingdom (UK), the Right Lord Vernon Coaker, at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.
Coaker was accompanied by the UK’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller.
During the high-level engagement, discussions centred on deepening and expanding bilateral relations between Guyana and the UK. President Ali described the UK as a stable and longstanding partner, noting that both nations are united in their shared values, principles, and commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
Ali emphasised the significance of Coaker’s visit, pointing out that it comes at a crucial moment not only for Guyana but also for the wider region.
Following the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Ministry of Defence of the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in the field of defence.

Present at the meeting were Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Mohabir Anil Nandlall; Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd; Chief of Defence Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Omar Khan; and National Security Advisor, Captain Gerry Gouveia.
In July 2024, President Ali had said that the defence and security partnership between Guyana and the UK has reached unprecedented levels, describing the relationship as “remarkable”.
“I want to highlight the growing strength of our relationship at the security and defence level. Never in the history of our relationship would we have had the type of military, security, defence exchanges, training, coordination, collaboration that we have today; and that is remarkable,” President Ali had expressed.
While noting that this partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering peace and stability in the hemisphere, the Guyanese leader had lauded the British Government for the unwavering support it had given to Guyana in the border controversy with Venezuela.

This support was also referenced by British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, as she at the time had reminded of the prompt visit to Guyana by the UK’s Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley in December 2023 shortly after Venezuela’s controversial referendum on the Essequibo region.
During that visit, the British Minister had met with President Ali to reinforce the UK’s steadfast support for, and solidarity with, Guyana.
While in Guyana, Rutley had expressed the UK’s unequivocal backing for Guyana against Venezuela’s territorial claims. Further, he had expressed that the border between the two countries had been settled over 120 years ago, and that sovereign borders must be respected.
This support was further demonstrated when the UK deployed the His Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Trent, an offshore patrol vessel, to Guyana later in July 2024. The purpose was to carry out routine defence cooperation and exercises with the GDF and the Coast Guard.
Also in 2024, Guyana had hosted the UK and Caribbean Heads of Defence Conference, a two-day event which had seen top security personnel from the region and UK recommitting to continued collaboration and the maintenance of peace in the hemisphere.