| Guyana and Saudi Arabia to establish joint commission | |
| Published on November 21, 2015 | |
 President David Granger (L) with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al SaudBy Ray Chickrie Caribbean News Now contributorGEORGETOWN, Guyana -- Following the recent visit of Guyana's President David Granger to Saudi Arabia to attend the Arab-South American Summit (ASPA), Guyana will initiate cooperation with several Arab nations, mainly Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, including a joint commission to foster closer ties Engagements at the summit with Gulf states has given new impetus to put in place mechanisms to expand ties with these countries, according to the foreign minister of Guyana, Carl Greenidge, who accompanied Granger to Riyadh. The new government in Guyana has an advantage of developing new ties with these countries after decades of neglect, delays and Islamophobia by the previous administration in Georgetown. However, the new administration in Georgetown also has elements of Islamophobia that could impede future ties with the Arab Gulf, and Granger will have to control these elements if his government is serious in attracting Arab investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. One diplomat familiar with many of the political players in Guyana, remarked, "Guyana has much to gain from these associations" and urged the current government to be a more active participant in ASPA and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Guyana has been a member of the OIC since 1998. However, what concerns the diplomat, which he referred to as a "problem”, is "Islamophobia at high level in Guyana and some of those people still think the OIC is a religious organisation”. But with a new government in office, and one that has had strong ties with the Arab and Islamic world, relationships can improve and expand with ASPA and the OIC. Granger and Greenidge may be less concerned, since they are products of Guyana's Peoples National Congress (PNC) party, which has had historical ties with the Arab and Islamic East. Moreover, Guyana now needs the OIC and the Commonwealth more than before because it is looking for global solidarity against threats from neighbouring Venezuela. In the Commonwealth, of which Guyana is a member, many countries such as Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Cameroon, Brunei, Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Maldives are from the Islamic bloc. Kenya, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and South Africa have also requested OIC membership. Granger will soon hold bilateral talks with the leaders of some of these countries when he travels to Malta to attend the Commonwealth heads of government summit. In a Guyana News Agency (GINA) release, Greenidge, said, “The engagements at the summit were critical to Guyana’s exploration of the means to actualise the prospects and promise of collaboration with countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar." Greenidge added, “Discussions on those fronts were quite satisfactory in the sense that the meetings dealt with cooperation on projects that we started, and those where we have outstanding problems between the two sides that need addressing, and they addressed issues over which we can cooperate.” Another former diplomat, Guyana’s former ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar, Dr Odeen Ishmael, said that ties between Guyana and these countries are strong politically, but not economically. "Guyana is held in high esteem for its position on Palestine," he remarked. According to Ishmael, Guyana has already tapped "resources from the Kuwait Fund and had already put in place arrangements for a diplomatic trade office in Dubai.” Guyana is now waiting formal approval from the UAE government to have this office up and running. Officials from the UAE and Emirates Airlines travelled to Guyana in 2014 to work on an open skies agreement between the two countries. Emirates Airlines wants to make a connection through Guyana. Ishmael, who is still regularly in touch with OIC officials, said that the UAE is still interested in signing an air agreement with Guyana. Guyana and Saudi Arabia are looking to now establish a joint commission which will meet periodically to foster closer ties, according to Greenidge. He said that Guyana and these Gulf states agree to have periodic meetings in an effort to "follow-up, in order to identify areas where they can deepen cooperation and accelerate the processes in areas that have been slower than anticipated," according to GINA. He said, “The agreement was to ensure that the joint commission sits and revisits these areas, with a new mandate given that on our side there is a new government in place.” Guyana may soon become an oil producer after a major offshore oil and gas discovery, and Georgetown is keen to attract investments from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, some of the world major oil and gas producers and exporters The new government of Guyana said that it “welcomes the Arabs’ positive role in ensuring a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Guyana." Granger himself met King Salman of Saudi Arabia and discussed cooperation between the two countries, as well as several broader issues, including peace and other bilateral engagements, according to GINA. Guyana and Saudi Arabia established ties in 2012. Besides the ASPA forum, Guyana is a member of the OIC, which also links Guyana to some very wealthy oil and gas producers like Algeria, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Turkmenistan, who are also members of the OIC. Guyana maintains an embassy in Kuwait City, which is the only diplomatic mission of Guyana in the region. The government of Guyana is currently finalizing the choice of an ambassador to Kuwait, one who will play a pivotal role in fostering closer ties with Persian Gulf States. | |
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Odeen Ishmael: Saudis ties can counter Venezuela’s threats …also crucial for oil industry support
November 13, 2015
GUYANA now has a golden opportunity to win the solidarity of the Saudi Arabia and other governments of the Arab states in supporting its territorial integrity and in offering advice and other backing for the development of its oil potential, retired diplomat Odeen Ishmael has said. His comments come even as President David Granger has returned to Guyana after a successful summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during which he cemented ties with that OPEC country and also forged broader alliances with a number of Arab states. A former ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar, Ishmael said Guyana’s participation at the summit was significant, coming amid the recent flare-up of the decades-old border controversy with Venezuela – another OPEC nation that has been seeking support in the Middle East following pressure from the West. Caracas has upped its aggression against this country since U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil announced back in May that that it had discovered oil-bearing rock in the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana. The company had said that its Liza-1 well encountered more than 295 feet of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs.
President David Granger and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge meeting with His Highness, King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Fourth Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA).
Asked how crucial can a Saudi Arabia backing go towards countering Venezuela’s threats, Ishmael said: “I am not too sure about how “crucial” it is, since the Saudis also have very close relations with Venezuela through OPEC and the existence of embassies in each other’s capital.” Also, he said there are many politicians of Arab ancestry in the Venezuelan government and they may have strong contacts in Saudi Arabia. “What I can say however, is that Guyana’s ties with Saudi Arabia can assist in countering aggression and any plans of usurpation by Venezuela since the Saudis are committed based on the Arab-South America agreements to respect the territorial integrity of all states. Thus, they are committed to respect boundaries established under international law, e.g., the 1899 award of the international tribunal,” Ishmael explained.
SIGNIFICANT
He said President Granger’s participation at the just concluded Arab summit, was especially significant. “He will always be held in high esteem by the Saudis for this, since he showed them respect by accepting the King’s invitation to travel to Saudi Arabia. Guyana can now build on this contact of friendship and win the solidarity of the Saudis and other governments of the Arab states in supporting our territorial integrity and in offering advice and other support for the development of our oil potential,” said Ishmael, who had also served as ambassador to Venezuela and the United States. Additionally, he took particular note of the gesture of Saudi Arabia who sent a charted plane to transport President Granger and his delegation to and from the summit, saying this “shows the Saudi interest in Guyana and particularly in opening up a new level of relations.” He also noted that an important factor to also keep in mind is that the Saudis are very appreciative of Guyana for being one of the first countries in the western hemisphere to officially recognise the Palestinian state. Ever since taking office President Granger has been seeking global support against Venezuela’s aggression and his maiden United Nations address was focused on that world body and other developed countries coming to the aid of small countries like Guyana.
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE
Ishmael explained that Guyana has two main linkages with the Arab states – through the Arab-South American group and through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). “Through especially the latter, Guyana has a golden opportunity to cement a strong political alliance by which the member states of that body will render unqualified solidarity in defence of our territorial integrity,” Ishmael said. He added that the Saudis have been cooperative with us in the past, noting that it was quickly ironing out problems associated with Guyanese going to Mecca for the Hajj. “Then they have also expressed interest in expanding improved diplomatic and business linkages,” Ishmael noted, “and in these respects the Guyana government must seize the opportunity in expanding these contacts.” Back in 2013, the Guyana government had nominated a Saudi citizen to be this country’s honorary consul in Saudi Arabia. “I am not sure if the Saudi government has given its approval, but we need that representation there since we have a relatively large number of Guyanese either residing or studying there, and from time to time they require consular assistance which our Embassy in Kuwait generally provides. But the presence of a consul in Saudi Arabia can provide assistance much more quickly,” Ishmael added. He said too that Guyana’s expected membership of the Islamic Development Bank can also boost a number of development projects here.
MEANINGFUL FRIENDSHIP
During his address to the conference, Granger said Guyana, as a country on the continent of South America and a member of the Union of South American nations (UNASUR), was honoured to be at the summit. He said the Fourth Arab-South American Summit came at a critical time in global affairs. “It offers crucial lessons for successfully cultivating meaningful friendship, peace and mutually beneficial relations even amid disparate national and regional perspectives and challenges,” the Guyanese leader told the conference. According to him, the Summit also reflected many timeless ideas and ideals that have inspired “our efforts since the initiation of this bi-regional enterprise over a decade ago. The world today stands in even greater need of such collective efforts. This Summit signifies a renewed spirit of understanding and cooperation for mutual benefit and progress for our peoples, our governments and our continents. This Summit will generate greater understanding, peace and solidarity in a world of growing inequality, insecurity and injustice. We all, as member states of the United Nations, have just embarked on the implementation of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We must be committed to the achievement of those SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) for the benefit of our peoples and to ensure that no one is left behind.” Granger also noted Guyana’s deep concern for the Palestinian people, restating Georgetown’s “principled position of support for the Palestinian people in their just struggle for their inalienable rights, including the right to statehood.” “We need, also, to use this forum to pledge to deepen our cooperation to provide leadership and solutions to the wide array of challenges we face in common. We need to explore means of actualising the prospects and promise of collaboration between Arab and South American countries and expanding South-South ties.” Noting that the summit afforded Guyana the opportunity to reaffirm the core principles that have animated our cooperation, Granger said it has also reinvigorated “our strong commitment to peace and to working together to expand the platform for a robust and meaningful partnership between our regions and peoples.”
Former Member
Granger thinks linking up with these terrorists are ok? The Iranians are a better people and more progressive.
Former Member
Originally Posted by baseman:
Granger thinks linking up with these terrorists are ok? The Iranians are a better people and more progressive.
Saudi Arabia is a religious state so how could its political alliance be separate from its religion? It also has a habit of projecting its religious influencing by offering scholarships to locals the effect of which is an arbitration of Guyanese Muslims. I see lots of them wearing the burkas and niqab when Urdu head scarves were the norm. I care little for associations with Saudia Arabia where the use of Indians and other asians as slave labor and its anti women laws are an odium. Screw them.
Former Member
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Granger thinks linking up with these terrorists are ok? The Iranians are a better people and more progressive.
Saudi Arabia is a religious state so how could its political alliance be separate from its religion? It also has a habit of projecting its religious influencing by offering scholarships to locals the effect of which is an arbitration of Guyanese Muslims. I see lots of them wearing the burkas and niqab when Urdu head scarves were the norm. I care little for associations with Saudia Arabia where the use of Indians and other asians as slave labor and its anti women laws are an odium. Screw them.
Saudi in the largest exporter of terrorism and a gross violator of human rights at almost level. Dealing with them is one step above dealing with ISIS's Caliphate. But you see, PNC/AFC dem "shart ah frens". A lil private charter jet get them giddy!
Former Member
Originally Posted by baseman:
Saudi in the largest exporter of terrorism and a gross violator of human rights at almost level. Dealing with them is one step above dealing with ISIS's Caliphate. But you see, PNC/AFC dem "shart ah frens". A lil private charter jet get them giddy!
what do u suggest . . . that participating oil exporting countries leave OPEC because Saudi Arabia is the leading member?
huh?
baseman, you do understand that even Iran, locked in a deadly, existential proxy war with the unholy kingdom maintains cordial relations with its mortal enemy
statecraft is necessarily rocket science to ignorant people, but especially your particular type . . . prancing more your style
Former Member
Originally Posted by redux:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Saudi in the largest exporter of terrorism and a gross violator of human rights at almost level. Dealing with them is one step above dealing with ISIS's Caliphate. But you see, PNC/AFC dem "shart ah frens". A lil private charter jet get them giddy!
what do u suggest . . . that all oil exporting countries leave OPEC because Saudi Arabia is the leading member?
u do understand that even Iran, locked in a deadly, existential proxy war with the unholy kingdom maintains cordial relations with its mortal enemy
statecraft is necessarily rocket science to ignorant people, but especially your particular type . . . prancing more your style
When Jagdeo was parading around with Iran NONE of this Indo KKK types had anything to say.
Given that Saudi is a counter to Venezuela I can see from a diplomatic point of view how Guyana can benefit. Additionally there are also pools of Arab capital that Guyana can tap. Suriname, and islands like Grenada, Antigua, and St Kitts are active in the Gulf States, and I believe some even have embassies there.
I think one of my old buddies on that team with the Hon President Granger to Saudi Arabia.
Former Member
Originally Posted by Chief:
I think one of my old buddies on that team with the Hon President Granger to Saudi Arabia.
Birds of a feather. House of Saud is the biggest terrorist organization in the world. Most of the world's terrorism have roots in those evil Wahabs.
Former Member
Saudi Arabia is going to sponsor a few Jihadi schools in Guyana
Former Member
Hey, bring your kids to the new Jihadi schools. They will be given scholarships to join ISIS.
Didn't Jagdeo go on a visit to Assad in Syria?
Originally Posted by baseman:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by baseman:
Granger thinks linking up with these terrorists are ok? The Iranians are a better people and more progressive.
Saudi Arabia is a religious state so how could its political alliance be separate from its religion? It also has a habit of projecting its religious influencing by offering scholarships to locals the effect of which is an arbitration of Guyanese Muslims. I see lots of them wearing the burkas and niqab when Urdu head scarves were the norm. I care little for associations with Saudia Arabia where the use of Indians and other asians as slave labor and its anti women laws are an odium. Screw them.
Saudi in the largest exporter of terrorism and a gross violator of human rights at almost level. Dealing with them is one step above dealing with ISIS's Caliphate. But you see, PNC/AFC dem "shart ah frens". A lil private charter jet get them giddy!
So TRUE. Guyana NOW has IDIOTS for Leaders!!!!
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