US ambassador rejects claims of dominance in relationship with Guyana
Key Points(5)
- United States Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has dismissed suggestions that Washington dominates its relationship with Georgetown, insisting that the partnership is based on mutual respect and shared benefits.
- “It is a partnership – 50/50 absolutely.
- There is no dominance.
- It is very, very much a partnership,” Theriot told reporters.
- It’s a true partnership in every sense of the word,” she added.
United States Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has rejected suggestions that Washington dominates its relationship with Georgetown, describing the partnership as one built on mutual respect and shared benefits.
“It is a partnership – 50/50 absolutely. There is no dominance. It is very, very much a partnership,” Theriot told reporters.
“We feel like we benefit from our relationship with Guyana, hopefully, as much as they benefit from us. It’s a true partnership in every sense of the word,” she added.
Her comments follow the signing this week of a Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defence Partnership between the two countries, aimed at strengthening military cooperation and enhancing Guyana’s defence capabilities.
Theriot, who said she helped draft the agreement, described security cooperation as a critical component of bilateral relations.
The declaration provides for sustained US defence expertise, multi-domain training and joint military exercises with the Guyana Defence Force as part of efforts to modernise the country’s defence infrastructure.
The ambassador’s remarks also come after a recent CNN interview in which Guyanese President Irfaan Ali faced questions about the balance of his country’s relationship with Washington.
Ali defended the partnership, saying it was rooted in shared values and priorities. He also pointed to the involvement of international energy companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron and China’s CNOOC, in Guyana’s oil and gas sector as evidence that the country’s energy investments were diversified and not limited to American interests.
In a separate statement, Ali described the defence declaration as another milestone in Guyana’s longstanding relationship with the United States.
He said the agreement was important to safeguarding Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and reflected the priority both countries placed on security in Guyana and the wider Western Hemisphere.
