Guyana, US in talks about accepting nationals from third countries

Last Updated on Monday, 5 January 2026, 22:06 by Writer

Guyana and the United States (US) are holding talks about this South American nation accepting third country nationals from the US, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud said on Monday.

“Guyana and the USA have been in productive discussions on a framework of understanding which is consistent with our national priorities and needs and supportive of the USA objectives,” Mr Persaud told Demerara Waves Online News.

His response came hours after Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica on Monday confirmed that they had agreed to take nationals of other countries who are in the US.

The US first made that proposal to friendly nations in the Caribbean and elsewhere in early 2025.

The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) reported that Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt on Monday announced that his country had inked an agreement with the US to facilitate third country refugees to be sent to Dominica to mitigate scenarios where the US cannot return these individuals to their state of birth or origin.

“In our discussions with the State Department there has been careful deliberation of the need to avoid receiving violent individuals or individuals who will compromise the security of Dominica. This has been acknowledged and well received by the State Department,” Prime Minister Skerrit told a news conference.

Similarly, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne indicated that those third country nationals, estimated to be about ten, would be screened before they are allowed to land on the twin-island nation.

“We agreed to accept, possibly up to ten, non-criminal refugees, who may have skills that are in short demand locally. This is a goodwill agreement in which we will maintain the full discretion, to accept or reject any recommended person.”

Browne said that the US has agreed to assist in providing biometric details and any information of criminal conduct.

He said the US government has invited over 100 countries to assist in reducing the burden on the US, by accepting some of their refugees and or deportees.

“We have agreed to participate, limiting our intake to a maximum of ten individuals with skills and no criminal record,” he said, noting that several countries, including from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have signed off on the agreement.