Dear Editor,
The Foreign Minister of Guyana, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett was absent from the recent 40th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Conakry, Guinea, on December 9 – 11. Guyana did not participate in the meeting. Rodrigues-Birkett was slated to attend the Conakry OIC CFM meeting but never made it to the West African nation. The Guyana seat was empty; however, neighouring Suriname was represented at the meeting.
It would seem that there was no plan put in place to have a replacement to represent Guyana at this important meeting. Maybe Rodrigues-Birkett could not arrange for a replacement to be sent to Conakry after receiving news of Nelson Mandela’s death. She flew to South Africa where she joined the president of Guyana to attend Mandela’s memorial service.
Especially since Guyana continues to face territorial issues with both Venezuela and Suriname; it would make sense to have Guyana represented at large international fora such as the OIC, which is a grouping of 57 countries.
The government’s foreign policy has come under fire for placing too much trust in the leftist leadership in Suriname and Venezuela. Naturally, the interests of their nations come first and not always will these leftist leaders remain in power. The opposition in those countries is less sympathetic of Guyana’s narrative. This is why it’s necessary for Guyana to have a wide range of political allies from across the world.
Attending meetings of the OIC are important small steps to solidify political and economic ties with rich nations of the Islamic bloc such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan. Further, some of the growing economies of Africa are not being exploited because Guyana is not using the OIC forum to its advantage well.
These fora also allow Guyana the opportunity to promote economic diplomacy to bring badly needed investments and economic aid from those countries.
It can help to advance bilateral talks and get to know the leadership of these wealthy countries that can open a line of communication with their leaders. Guyana’s membership in the OIC, which allows for such, is not being used to its best. Suriname on the other hand, has offered to host an OIC office, and has embarked on a two-year (2014 -2015) Interim Member Country Partnership Strategy (MCPS) with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to contribute to the development priorities of the government of Suriname.
The IsDB will contribute about 100 million dollars to support various health, education and transportation projects in Suriname under that agreement.
Recently, Suriname joined the OIC Food and Security Programme.
Paramaribo has attended all major OIC meetings since the Bouterse administration took office in 2010 and Suriname is now benefiting from the OIC and the IsDB.
Further, and without any presidential trips to the Middle East, Suriname has secured investments from the UAE. Guyana continues to lag behind. Guyana’s haphazard presidential trips to the Middle East have brought no foreign direct investment to Guyana.
This questions why Guyana did not join the OIC Food and Security pact especially since the PPP Regime in Georgetown claims to place heavy emphasis on agriculture. Further, Guyana to date is not a member of the IsDB, a move that former President Jagan initiated with the IsDB when he was in office.
An IsDB office in Guyana or Suriname may become a reality if Guyana joins the bank.
Guyana’s presence in Guinea would have also helped salvage President Ramotar’s bombastic statements he made at the UN in September about Egypt and Syria without fully weighing the Sunni/Shia rivalry led by Iran and Saudi Arabia and its implications for Guyana. This made news in the Arab press. His bold statement could cost Guyana politically and economically. Suriname’s statement on the same issues at the UN by its Foreign Minister, Winston Lackin was tempered, shrewd and prudent.
As well, it would have been wise as promised to send a high delegation to Conakry, especially since Guyana still does not have diplomatic relationship with many African states and many are members of the OIC. This would help to shore up Guyana’s ties with Africa, homeland of many Afro-Guyanese.
Africa is on the rise economically and slowly dictatorship is fading there.
Yours faithfully,
Ray Chickrie
