This morning saw the official opening of the fourth edition of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, under the theme, connecting the dots: integrating the future.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the conference, Kiana Wilburg, in her address, told participants that apart from the well-known fact that Guyana is the fastest growing economy in the world for five consecutive years, there are other strategic advantages to be noted by investors.
She went on to note what she referred to as the hallmarks of South America’s latest oil giant.
In this regard, Wilburg highlighted that Guyana is the ideal location to access global markets; is one of the most resource rich nations in the region; offers highly competitive fiscal incentives for investments and features low operational costs.
Further, Wilburg said that the Government is also pro-business. She said, “as a testament of this, Guyana reported the highest FDI inflows in the Caribbean between 2021 and 2023. In 2023, there were inflows of US$7.2 billion, a 64 percent increase over 2022, positioning Guyana as the 6th largest FDI recipient country in Latin America and the Caribbean Region.”
Wilburg said that together, these advantages provide fertile ground for powerful local and foreign partnerships to flourish.
The CEO said that the Energy Conference and Supply Chain is steady putting in the work to support Guyana as the powerhouse she positions to become.
Wilburg said that this year’s edition has brought with it a number of successes. She said that over that past year, the secretariat worked along with key government agencies and private sector partners to successfully implement an Energy Run/Walk, A Conference Village, a Taste of Guyana Event, and an essay competition that attracted over 160 submissions from across the country.
She said that to ensure that they continue to drive the discourse on national development and industry leading trends, the Secretariat dominated the media space with its Energy Perspectives Podcast, the brainchild of its Chairman, Anthony J Whyte. Established in 2023, with ramped up production in 2024, Wilburg said that the podcast serves as a safe space for discussion with industry stakeholders. She said that with over 50 episodes to date and nearly 20,000 listeners across various media platforms, the podcast has emerged as a trusted provider of reliable insights and critical sectoral updates. Esteemed guests have included President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Dr.Mohamed Irfaan Ali, former Colombian President Ivan Duque, and industry leaders from ExxonMobil, CNOOC, and SBM.
Wilburg further noted that under the visionary leadership of the Secretariat’s Chairman Whyte, management embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation, starting with a complete overhaul of the conference website and the launch of two new apps, Energy Echo and Guyana Energy, both of which are available on Google Play Store or the Apple store.
Wilburg said that the secretariat has also worked assiduously towards strengthening relationship with sponsors and exhibitors.
“Overall, our efforts in the past 12 months demonstrate a heightened appreciation for the profoundness of this platform which brings together policy leaders, industry stakeholders and civil society for critical discussions about our future. Guyana is on an incredible growth trajectory; she is the glorious land of investment opportunities,” said Wilburg.
