EAM Jaishankar meets Guyanese PM Mark Phillips, discuss energy, disaster resilience and defence cooperation

PTI, Apr 23, 2023, 10:18 AM IST

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has called on Guyanese Prime Minister Mark Phillips and vowed that India will partner with the South American country in its developmental journey. During the meeting on Saturday, the two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in energy, disaster resilience and preparedness, as well as defence.

Jaishankar, who is on his first visit to Guyana, tweeted that he was happy to meet Prime Minister Phillips and other leaders here.

”Discussed energy, disaster resilience & preparedness and defence cooperation. India will partner Guyana in its developmental journey,” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Jaishankar wrote that ”Delivered by India” was a growing global infra reality.

The minister in another tweet said he paid a site visit to the East Bank-East Coast Road Linkage Project along with Minister of Public Works Deodat Indar and interacted with workers and senior staff.

”Impressed by their enthusiasm,” he added.

Earlier, Jaishankar called on President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharat Jagdeo here and also co-chaired the 5th India-Guyana Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart Hugh Todd and held comprehensive discussions on topics like agriculture, defence cooperation, and infrastructure development.

The minister in a string of tweets said his presence in the South American country was intended to take forward the momentum created by the visits of President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo recently.

”Strong economics will complement shared values in taking our partnership to a new level,” he tweeted, underlining the new focus area agreed to by President Ali and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were energy, health and pharma, development partnership and capacity building, agriculture, innovation, technology and defence and infrastructure that were the drivers of the India-Guyana ties.

”Addressed the India-Guyana Business Round Table. Appreciate participation of Foreign Minister Hugh Todd, Finance Minister Ashni Singh and Public Works Minister Deodat Indar,” the minister said.

He added that the presence of the Confederation of Indian Industry is a reflection of India’s growing engagement with Latin America.

The External Affairs Minister also met Ramnaresh Sarwan, Indo-Guyanese origin cricketer and Steven Jacobs.

”In Guyana, cricket is never far away. Good to meet Ramnaresh Sarwan and Steven Jacobs at the India-Guyana Business Round Table,” he tweeted.

He also met with the Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir in Guyana’s Parliament and shared histories provide many traditions that bring both nations closer.