Jamaica and Guyana sign four cooperation pacts on agriculture, defence and finance

The governments of Jamaica and Guyana have strengthened their long-standing partnership by signing four instruments aimed at deepening cooperation across several priority sectors.

Honourable Hugh Todd, Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson-Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, signed the agreements on behalf of their respective governments.

The first instrument was a protocol amending the 1995 agreement on economic, technical and cultural cooperation. The updated protocol broadens collaboration to include energy, defence and security, financial services and capital markets, disaster response and recovery, climate-resilient housing and infrastructure, and science, technology and innovation.

A memorandum of understanding on agriculture will promote cooperation on food and nutrition security through a strategic partnership for both countries and the wider Caribbean. Focus areas include institutional and human resource development, research and innovation, education and extension, trade facilitation, and advancing the CARICOM 25 by 25 plus five initiative.

Separate MOUs were also signed between the Guyana Defence Force and the Jamaica Defence Force on defence and security cooperation, and between both governments on developing financial services, including modernising financial infrastructure and building sector capacity.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness described the visit to Guyana as a meaningful working engagement that went beyond the formal signings. He noted discussions on energy, security, tourism, financial services, agriculture and housing, and said Jamaica and Guyana share aligned views on regional and global developments.

President Irfaan Ali said the nearly 40-hour visit had deepened trust between the two countries and laid a foundation for stronger partnership. He highlighted planned cooperation in energy, tourism, financial services, security training, education, housing and healthcare, and welcomed Jamaica as the newest member of the Global Biodiversity Alliance.

Holness also raised structured labour mobility as a regional response to skilled-worker shortages, citing Jamaica’s unemployment rate of 3.6% and the need to prepare workforces ahead of large-scale construction growth in Guyana.