Processing Schengen visas a hindrance to EU-Guyana trade – Pres Ali tells new Dutch Ambassador

– areas of cooperation in agriculture discussed

During the accreditation of a new Ambassador from the Kingdom of Netherlands to Guyana, important bilateral discussions were held, including the issue of Guyanese having to travel to Suriname to process Schengen visas.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali received Letters of Credence from HE Walter Oostelbos, the new Netherlands Ambassador to Guyana, at the Office of the President on Wednesday. During the discussions, heavy focus was placed on processing Schengen visas in Guyana…a development that would improve the ease of doing business with the European Union (EU).
“The President told the ambassador that one of the biggest hindrances of doing business between Guyana and the EU is the visa processing procedure that requires Guyanese to travel to Suriname. This, he said, can be remedied if the same service provided in Suriname can be provided in Guyana,” a statement from the Office of the President pointed out.
However, among the other areas that were discussed was agriculture. The Guyanese Leader pointed out to the Ambassador that Guyana and the Netherlands could collaborate in key areas such as agro-processing, food production, and air transport.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, and the Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ambassador Elisabeth Harper, were also at the ceremony.
It has been reported that a pressing issue for Guyana in its relations, particularly its business relations, with Europe is the setting up of a local Schengen visa processing office. In fact, the Government has been pushing for Guyana to be included in the list of countries that have visa-free travel to the Schengen countries.
President Ali had announced earlier this year that at least five European Union (EU) countries have agreed to sponsor Guyana’s bid for Schengen visa-free travel. The President had explained that for Guyana to be fully equipped to gain Schengen visa-free travel, the country’s passport must be improved and upgraded.
In addition to obtaining visa-free travel status, President Ali noted that Guyana is working on having the Schengen visas processed more efficiently in Guyana. This, he explained, is an immediate need, and Guyana has received strong commitments from “at least three countries that are willing to work with us on having this done”.
President Ali had initial discussions on Schengen visa-free travel during his attendance earlier this year at the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) Summit 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. Specifically, he held such talks with the Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon.
Former EU Ambassador to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó, had told this publication that the request for an office in Guyana to process visa requests to Europe was a reasonable one, and was in fact being addressed by the EU. He had cautioned, however, that the granting of Schengen visas was subject to individual member countries, and not to the EU as a whole. As such, he noted that the EU did not have the power to grant the visas.
Cantó had also expressed the hope that visa-free travel could be facilitated at some point in the future.
In the absence of visa-free access, the Schengen visa would entitle non-Europeans to travel to Slovenia and any of the other 26 Schengen countries, including Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland – for a stay of up to 90 days.
Most notably, Guyanese enjoy visa-free access to a few European countries already, including the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, Russia and Kosovo. Guyana has meanwhile been pushing for visa-free access to Italy.
Only a few days ago, a new European Union Chamber of Commerce (Guyana) was launched, presenting a unique opportunity to facilitate greater trade and allow easier access for Guyanese businesses wanting to explore European markets.
The introduction of the new chamber came in synchrony with the visiting European Union Trade Mission this week, where delegates from 23 countries are here from 10 EU Member States to identify potential investment opportunities. (G-3)