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U.S reinforces commitment to regional security through new agreement with Guyana

https://newsroom.gy/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/us-2-750x430.jpgChief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess and Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller signing the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (Photo: Office of the President/January 12, 2021)

Guyana and the United States of America (U.S.A) has added new features to its longstanding military-to- military cooperation with the signing of an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement on Tuesday; strengthening security collaboration to combat shared transnational threats.

The agreement was signed by Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller on behalf of the Department of Defence of the United States of America and Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess on behalf of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

Admiral Faller is currently in Guyana for a three-day visit and engaged in the signing event at State House as part of his planned activities.

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Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller (Photo: Office of the President/January 12, 2021)

In brief remarks after the signing, Brigadier Bess said Faller’s presence in Guyana symbolises the excellent relations between the militaries of the USA and Guyana.

He said through the agreement, the two militaries will now be able to expand its partnership on issues like climate change, terrorism, trafficking narcotics and small arms and human trafficking among others.

“The GDF welcomes the increase cooperation…we now have greater predictability in our defence partnership and it is a formal basis for the exchange of services,” Brigadier Bess said.

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Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess addressing the gathering on Tuesday (Photo: Office of the President/January 12, 2021)

Meanwhile, Admiral Faller underscored the signing as a pivotal step forward together. He believes it builds on the momentum started with the visit of U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and reinforces the U.S commitment to regional security.

“This is a new era of defence partnership,” he added.

The agreement is expected to pave the way for exchanging goods or services of equal value to support future bilateral defence cooperation.

It will facilitate and increase interoperability, readiness, and effectiveness of the respective military forces through increase logistic cooperation.

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Admiral Craig S. Faller saluting ranks of Guyana’s military on Tuesday (Photo: Office of the President/January 12, 2021)

The agreement allows for flexibility in identifying ways to support bilateral security cooperation. In this instance, the U.S. can provide fuel and meals to partner nations, like Guyana, to support U.S. led counter-narcotics operations in international waters, or the U.S. can loan specialized aviation maintenance equipment.

The agreement creates new opportunities to successfully plan and conduct future cooperation activities and further strengthen the security partnership.

The agreement will streamline the process of exchanging goods or services of equal value, allowing for greater focus on the resulting defence cooperation activities and goals.

U.S not setting up military bases in Guyana or anywhere in the western hemisphere

https://newsroom.gy/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/us-750x430.pngCommander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller (Photo: Office of the President/January 12, 2021)

Visiting Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Craig S. Faller on Tuesday said that the United States of America (U.S.A) has no plans to set up military bases in Guyana as part of growing its presence in the Western Hemisphere.

He went further to say that there is no interest by the U.S.A to set up bases anywhere in the hemisphere.

Admiral Faller was at the time responding to questions from the local press corps during the signing of an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement at State House in Georgetown.

“We seek to have the right military presence as invited by our sovereign partners,” he said.

Faller explained that the U.S.A military would only come to states in the region at the request of mutually agreed partnerships and not through forced intervention.

But even on a request, that will have will to be for a specific exchange exercise or training.

“Our future presence will be determined by our host and friends and that presence will be in the form of exercises and training,” he added.

The clarification comes days after the United States reiterated its support for Guyana in the border controversy with Venezuela.

Faller was also asked about the support of the U.S.A military in response to aggression from Venezuela; he would only say that his country supports a peaceful resolution of the controversy and respect for the ongoing judicial process.

“We want to work hard on education and training so we never have to fight… the US supports the international process in place for a peaceful resolution,” he added.

He assured that the focus now is working on areas to enhance bilateral relationships.

“Every nation deserves the right to sovereignty and to make sovereign decisions over its resources,” he added when asked about possible incursions against U.S oil giant, ExxonMobil, which is currently producing oil in the maritime/ economic zones being claimed by Venezuela.

Guyana’s Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess also echoed similar sentiments; he asserted that Guyana stands committed to a peaceful resolution of the situation.

“With regards to support, Guyana will continue to have cooperation in what we call defence diplomacy where we will continue to build our capacity,” Brigadier Bess said.

FM

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