Oil and gas among issues discussed as Guyana, India hold 4th round of foreign office consultations

Guyana and India discussed cooperation on a broad range of matters including oil and gas when the two sides held the fourth session of their foreign office consultations in Georgetown on Monday.

According to an Indian Ministry of External Affairs press release, the two sides examined cooperation in a number of other areas including infrastructure projects, defence cooperation, capacity building and Guyana’s need for skilled manpower.

The Indian side was led by Saurabh

Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs and the Guyanese side was led by Ambassador George Talbot, Director, Multilateral Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation.

“The institutional interaction provided an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral relations, including in areas such as politics, trade and economics, oil and gas, food security, agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, ICT, education and S&T, development partnership, climate change and culture,” the release said.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, and cooperation in multilateral bodies.

Kumar also called on President Irfaan Ali who was accompanied by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation Hugh Todd and Minister in the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar, the release said.

The release added that Kumar informed the President about the arrangements related to the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas where Ali will participate as the Chief Guest at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India.

Kumar also met with Dr. Armstrong Alexis, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM at its Headquarters in Georgetown. The two sides welcomed the recent momentum in India-CARICOM relations and agreed to work towards further strengthening it.