Canada’s senior foreign ministry official to visit Guyana

Last Updated on Tuesday, 4 July 2023, 13:29 by Denis Chabrol

Maninder Sidhu, Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is due to visit Guyana from July 5 to 7 to discuss energy, food and business, according to that country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly.

“I also look forward to strengthening our bilateral relationship with Guyana, as we are committed to collaborating on shared priorities, such as inclusive economic growth, food security and natural resource management,” he was quoted as saying in a Canadian government statement.

During his visit to Guyana, Parliamentary Secretary Sidhu will meet with Hugh Todd, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to strengthen the two countries’ collaboration on shared priorities, including energy transition and food security.

The Parliamentary Secretary will also get a better understanding of Guyana’s economic situation and its opportunities for Canadian companies by meeting key political and commercial stakeholders, the Canadian government said in a statement.

While in Guyana, he will have the chance to visit local projects that support migrants and early childhood development in Indigenous communities and that are funded by the Caribbean Regional Development Program and the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.

Mr Sindhu is currently visiting Trinidad and Tobago where he represented Canada at Monday’s opening of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) 45th regular Summit.

He was also scheduled to meet with Trinidad and Tobago’s Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, and Fitzgerald Hinds, Minister of National Security, to discuss shared political and economic priorities, including furthering trade and investment, and regional security.

In addition, Parliamentary Secretary Sidhu will attend a round-table networking event to learn about the opportunities and challenges for Canadian business in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Canada and CARICOM are tightly connected through our deep people-to-people ties, shared economic interests and our commitment to common values, such as democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and the rules-based international order,” Mr Sindhu said.

Canada and Guyana enjoy a close relationship built on more than 50 years of deep people-to-people ties, important trading connections, long-standing collaboration aimed at advancing inclusive economic development and our security partnership.

Guyana is one of Canada’s largest merchandise trading partners in CARICOM. In 2022, the value of bilateral merchandise trade totalled $294.1 million, with imports valued at $241.4 million and exports valued at $52.7 million.