Robert M Persaud

I extend warmest congratulations to @LulaOficial on your re-election as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for a historic fourth term. Your historic reelection will allow you and your party to build on the progress achieved over the previous term and to pursue a future of greater opportunity for all Brazilians. Guyana and Brazil enjoy strong and enduring bonds of friendship, mutul respect and cooperation. I look forward to continuing our close collaboration to strengthen bilateral relations, deepen regional integration, expand trade and investment, and advance our shared commitment to sustainable development and regional prosperity. I congratulate President @LulaOficial and the people of Brazil on this important democratic milestone and extend my best wishes for continued peace, progress and prosperity.

Yesterday afternoon, I brought together representatives from Government, the Judiciary, law enforcement, constitutional commissions, religious organisations and civil society for urgent discussions on the mental health, welfare and safety of our children. Recent incidents involving our children have reinforced the need for decisive, coordinated and sustained action. Protecting our children is a collective responsibility that requires the involvement of parents, schools, communities, religious organisations and every sector of society. Our discussions examined stronger parental support, education, counselling, mentorship, recreational activities, responsible exposure to social media and other influences, as well as necessary reforms to our laws, law enforcement and the administration of justice. I have directed the Attorney General to coordinate a broad-based, inter-agency task force to develop a comprehensive plan of recommendations and concrete actions for review and implementation. Our children are our most precious assets. We must do everything within our power to protect them, nurture them and ensure they grow up in safe, caring and supportive environments.

I strongly condemn the recent attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These acts of aggression have adversely affected operations at Riyadh Airport and threaten the safety, stability and security of the Kingdom. Guyana deplores all acts of aggression that endanger human lives, undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and jeopardise regional and international peace and security. Such actions are counterproductive, deepen tensions and hostility, and take us further away from the goal of a peaceful and stable Middle East. We continue to hope that these senseless acts of violence will cease and be replaced by an enduring commitment to dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. There can be no lasting security in an environment of escalating aggression, nor any durable peace without a genuine willingness to resolve differences through peaceful means. Guyana stands in full solidarity with the Government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and lends its wholehearted support to calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, restraint, and a return to the path of peace and diplomacy. We urge all concerned to uphold international law and prevent a further escalation of hostilities, in the interest of regional stability and global security.

Today, I had a productive phone call with @MarkJCarney , Prime Minister of Canada, to discuss various areas of mutual interest, including opportunities for investments within the development framework of the Guyana-Canadian Commerce Cooperation Agreement, investment protection and deepening our partnership on biodiversity.

I met with a US Congressional delegation led by Representative @RepGregoryMeeks on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly. Our discussions focused on Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in relation to the upcoming ICJ ruling; the continued expansion and diversification of our economy beyond oil and gas; and developments surrounding the Global Biodiversity Alliance. The delegation, which also included Representatives @RepJayapal and @rep_jackson , reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the partnership between Guyana and the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as other relevant committees and caucuses, including the Congressional Black Caucus. My delegation included Minister Dr Ashni Singh; our Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud.

This afternoon, I joined President @realDonaldTrump, Secretary of State @marcorubio and other leaders for a meeting of the Shield of the Americas on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting, convened by President Trump, called for enhanced collective action to combat narco-terrorism and greater efforts to strengthen the resilience of the Western Hemisphere through economic, security and multilateral coordination. We adopted a Joint Communiqué declaring our intent to strengthen the resilience of the Western Hemisphere based on three pillars: economic, security and multilateral coordination. The Shield of the Americas comprises the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.

I held official talks with His Highness Sheikh @TamimBinHamad , Amir of Qatar in Doha. We reaffirmed our commitment to stronger Guyana-Qatar relations, with discussions focused on investment, deeper bilateral cooperation and global issues of mutual interest. I thanked His Highness for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation.