US, Guyana defence forces discus readiness for security threats

Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 November 2023, 13:29 by Denis Chabrol

Top officials of the United States (US) army and the Guyana Defence Force met over the past two days to discuss their readiness to address security threats, according to the American Embassy here.

“The U.S. and Guyana defense forces discussed upcoming engagements to include strategic planning sessions and processes to enhance both countries’ military readiness and capabilities to respond to security threats,” the mission here said.

The talks were held days after President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that this week and throughout December, there will be several visits through the courtesy of the US Department of Defence. They had said Guyana would be receiving assistance from its “strategic partners” should there be Venezuelan military aggression to seize Guyana’s Essequibo county.

The talks were held between the leadership from the US Army’s 1^st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) and the GDF on November 27-28 as part of the US and Guyana’s “strong military to military partnership.”

The SFAB is a specialized unit of the U.S. Army established to advise and assist partner nations.  Since 2022, the SFAB has conducted several joint training exercises with the GDF to strengthen their capacity and capability at the tactical and operational levels.

The SFAB Advisors stated, “We are thankful for the opportunity to train with the Guyana Defense Force as our partners and friends.  We look forward to deepening the partnership in the weeks and months to come,” they were quoted in an American Embassy statement.

GDF Staff Officer One General Three – Operations and Training – Lieutenant Colonel Andy Pompey said, “The last iteration of U.S. military training here in Guyana has been of tremendous benefit to the Medical Corps and the 4 Engineers Battalion.  The transfer of knowledge and expertise from our U.S. counterparts under the auspices of the SFAB has equipped our members with invaluable skills that are directly applicable to the dynamic nature of our modern security environment.

As we witness the positive outcomes of this training, we are confident that the benefits will be enduring, impacting not only our force’s operational capabilities but also the professional growth of individual members.  The SFAB program, with its focus on enhancing the capabilities of partner forces, is a testament to the collaborative efforts between our nations.  We look forward to seeing the continued positive impact of the U.S. SFAB training on our force,” he said.

The U.S. and Guyana enjoy a longstanding security partnership marked by strong collaboration between SOUTHCOM and the GDF that is focused on disaster preparedness, humanitarian assistance, maritime security, human rights, professional development, defense and public-security missions, and countering transnational crime.