As Guyana advances its development agenda, Prime Minister (PM), Brigadier, (Retired) Mark Phillips outlined the country’s interest in learning from the State of Qatar’s rapid economic transformation.
He made the comments in his address on Tuesday evening at a reception hosted by the Embassy of Qatar in Georgetown to commemorate Qatar’s National Day at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Kingston.
PM Phillips extended congratulations to the leader, country and people of Qatar on the occasion of the 147th anniversary of the nation’s unification. He also underscored Guyana’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Qatar, noting that these ties have strengthened steadily since diplomatic relations were established in 1996.
“As Guyana embarks on its transformative journey, we view Qatar as a partner… Guyana seeks to benefit from the best practices that underpin Qatar’s rapid economic growth, particularly its forward-looking diversification strategy as outlined in the National Vision 2030. By learning from Qatar’s model of strategic investment in critical sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure, technology and education, Guyana aims to replicate a similar commitment to building a robust, diversified and sustainable economic future,” he posited.
The PM also highlighted the shared commitment of both nations to peaceful international engagement, while lauding Qatar for its “proactive foreign policy, which prioritises diplomacy over confrontation.”
He added that high-level engagements, the opening of diplomatic offices, the signing of agreements in areas of economic and technical cooperation, and increased Qatari commercial interest have supported the advancement of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Guyana, Qatar shared vision
Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 and Qatar’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, the Prime Minister explained, are a “shared vision for a greener, more resilient future.”
“Guyana and Qatar exhibit notable parallels in our developmental trajectories, encompassing a commitment to responsible hydrocarbon development alongside investments in renewable energy. We champion economic diversification, especially within agriculture, manufacturing, and services. We view education as a cornerstone of long-term prosperity, and we actively support South-South Cooperation to assist developing nations through technology transfer, capacity building, and development financing,” he noted.
Prime Minister Phillips also recognised the deepening cooperation in the energy sector and noted QatarEnergy’s proactive interest in offshore exploration activities in Guyana. He added that Qatar’s expertise, particularly in liquefied natural gas production and marketing, offers valuable insights as Guyana continues to expand its natural gas capabilities.
Prime Minister Phillips added that Guyana sees Qatar as an important partner as it advances its own development agenda.
“As we look to the future, there is immense potential to deepen our collaboration… By uniting our efforts, we can demonstrate to the world that nations endowed with abundant resources can act as conscientious stewards, facilitators of peace, and champions of sustainable progress,” the Prime Minister stated.
Diplomatic ties
Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Qatar, Mohd Ibrahim K B Alrumaih, in his remarks at the National Day reception, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the diplomatic ties between the two countries are built on a solid foundation of mutual respect and shared interest and vision.
“Cooperation between our two countries is witnessing fast growth in the field of economics, health and other vital sectors,” the Qatari diplomat noted.
Current projects and programmes here that the State of Qatar is engaged in include the recent Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signing by QatarEnergy for offshore oil exploration, a Qatari medical convoy to perform specialised surgeries in Guyana, the Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Centre project by Qatar Investment Authority and environmental partnership via the LCDS, among others.
Alrumaih, who is wrapping up his two-year tenure in Guyana, went on to express his appreciation to the Guyana Government for its support and cooperation in facilitating the work of the Qatari Embassy in Georgetown. This, he noted, is a demonstration of the depth of cooperation between the two nations and strengthens the shared hope for a bright future.
The Qatari diplomat further extended his gratitude to the various stakeholders for their cooperation and friendship as well since the establishment of the embassy.
“Your presence here today shows the close ties and friendship that unite us and our countries,” the Qatari diplomat stated at Tuesday’s reception.
“Guyana in 2023 is not the same as in 2025, and I am sure that the future is better,” he declared.
During Tuesday’s reception, Prime Minister Phillips was joined by his wife, Mrs Mignon Bowen-Phillips; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd; Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy; Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Venessa Benn; Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vikash Ramkissoon; and members of the diplomatic corps.
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