Guyana has received a grant worth over $1.1 billion (€ 5 million) from the European Union to maintain its forest and natural resources, as well as strengthen sustainable development specifically in Amerindian communities.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Deputy Secretary General of European Union Action Service, Helena Konig signed the billion-dollar pact on Wednesday, at State House.
The newly inked agreement stemmed from high level discussions at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 27 in Egypt last November. The implemented partners are the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement – AFD) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas.
With the $1.1 billion funding, Amerindian communities will create sustainable business ventures that will reduce the pressure on its natural resources, and overall, preserve the forest and its biodiversity.
President Ali said the partnership is essential to addressing global challenges, noting that it matches his administration’s efforts of creating a low-carbon economy and supporting sustainable livelihoods.
Guyana, he stressed, is working to be at the forefront of sustainable forest management, specifically on the utilisation of the forest for the transformation of countries by creating a social, economic and sustainable model.
“Guyana’s forest is not just standing trees but an important asset that provides global services, and in the provision of this global service, it is only fair that the forest earns for the country and its people who ensure that it stays intact, in support of those global services,” the president stated.
According to a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI), Deputy Secretary General of European Union Action Service commended the government’s efforts in its drive to maintain low deforestation rates and pledged the EU’s support in this regard.
“The European Union has made substantial and sustainable forest management the one and only focus in its new bilateral cooperation with Guyana, fully in line with Guyana’s own Low Carbon Development Strategy. We aim to support Guyana’s ambition to preserve and enhance the sustainable development role of forests as a key asset,” she said.
Konig added that the EU will continue to dialogue with government agencies and communities on the ground during the inception phase, which will enable the development of economic activities that will benefit the communities.
