Guyana, Jamaica deepen cooperation with sweeping new agreements across key sectors
Key Points(5)
- Guyana and Jamaica have moved to strengthen bilateral relations through a series of memoranda of understanding signed on Friday at State House in Georgetown, setting the stage for expanded collaboration in agriculture, security, finance, housing, technology and climate resilience.
- The agreements were signed by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith during an official visit by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
- The signing marked a key diplomatic milestone, with both sides describing the talks as part of a broader effort to translate regional cooperation into practical outcomes.
- Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the engagement went beyond ceremonial diplomacy and focused on deliverable results.
- Among the agreements is a framework on agricultural cooperation aimed at strengthening food and nutrition security while supporting CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 plus five” initiative to reduce the region’s food import bill.
Guyana and Jamaica have moved to strengthen bilateral relations through a series of memoranda of understanding signed on Friday at State House in Georgetown, setting the stage for expanded collaboration in agriculture, security, finance, housing, technology and climate resilience.
The agreements were signed by Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd and Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith during an official visit by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The signing marked a key diplomatic milestone, with both sides describing the talks as part of a broader effort to translate regional cooperation into practical outcomes. Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the engagement went beyond ceremonial diplomacy and focused on deliverable results.
Among the agreements is a framework on agricultural cooperation aimed at strengthening food and nutrition security while supporting CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 plus five” initiative to reduce the region’s food import bill. The pact outlines collaboration in institutional development, training, innovation, education, trade facilitation and agricultural research.
A separate agreement on defence and security cooperation is intended to deepen coordination in areas such as information sharing, policy consultations and joint engagement on regional and international security matters.
Both countries also signed an accord focused on financial services, committing to modernising systems, strengthening institutions and building capacity across the sector.
President Ali said the visit had already generated momentum for further cooperation, noting that additional agreements are expected in the near future as discussions continue to expand into energy, housing and governance reform.
He highlighted plans to establish a working group on energy cooperation and pointed to opportunities for collaboration in housing development, including potential partnerships between financial institutions and developers in both countries.
Technology and security also featured prominently, with discussions covering cybersecurity, data sovereignty and training, including through Guyana’s National Defence Institute.
Jamaican Prime Minister Holness said the signed MOUs represent only a portion of the wider cooperation under discussion, adding that both countries share aligned views on governance, economic development and regional competitiveness.
