President Irfaan Ali and United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today signed a joint declaration at the Pentagon to expand defence cooperation, including training, combined exercises and support for Guyana’s ability to monitor its airspace.
The Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defense Partnership provides for sustained US defence expertise and training across military domains with the Guyana Defence Force, according to a release.
It also seeks to strengthen Guyana’s air-domain awareness and its capacity to monitor, deter and respond to threats in and around its territory.
The release described the declaration as building on decades of cooperation and supporting the defence of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It said the partnership would assist Guyana’s efforts to develop a modern defence system while reinforcing security cooperation in the Western Hemisphere.
The declaration also provides for closer cooperation against narcotrafficking and organisations described in the release as “narcoterrorist,” building on the countries’ participation in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition and the Shield of the Americas.
The release said the commitments were intended to deter state and non-state actors threatening Guyana and the wider region.
It did not provide a timetable, funding commitments or details of equipment to be supplied under the declaration. The full text of the declaration was not included.
The signing took place in Washington, DC, as part of a bilateral relationship that also encompasses energy, trade and investment.
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