President Donald Ramotar said India can play a lead role in representing the concerns of developing countries, in his address on Thursday at the 13th Annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Ramotar, who was the chief guest at the forum, said while Guyana is deeply appreciative of the fertile relations between the two nations that has resulted in numerous instances of support, “we look forward to the further consolidation of this role.”
“….There are still opportunities for India to be more active as a participant in the global development effort,” he said. Smaller developing nations like Guyana depend on the influence wielded by larger economies like India, which occupies a seat in many of the major councils of the world, such as the BRICS, G20 and others “to be the voice through which the concerns of the developing world could be expressed,” he said.
India is also a member of some development banks, like the African Development Bank, therefore its absence in the regional and sub-regional development banks (IDB and CDB) in this region is striking. Apart from the obvious political opportunity that such a move would produce, membership will also bring important opportunities for Indian companies and Indian nationals, he said.
There is also “considerable room for Indian companies to be more aggressively outward looking, and India’s potential role as a major source of outward foreign direct investment is still to be fully realised,” the president further said. “Indeed considering the size and diversity of the Indian economy, there are many opportunities for Indian companies and entrepreneurs to establish a bigger global footprint.”
According to Ramotar, Guyana will continue to work towards strengthening relations with the countries that have emerged from anti-colonial struggles. Even though colonialism is now history, he added, the world governance still favours the rich and powerful countries. “The net flow of capital continues to be from the developing world to the developed world,” he said, noting that it is for this reason that there must be a reaffirming of the commitment by post-colonial countries to fight all modern day manifestations of inequality, exploitation and injustices that can hamper their economic, social and political gains.
India must also play a more pivotal role in confronting global challenges like climate change and the post-2015 development agenda, Ramotar said, pointing out that Guyana has already started to address the former by implementing its Low Carbon Development Strategy. “These are two issues that India must continue to champion and play a key role in bringing together developed countries to advance the changes and recommendations that are necessary to confront the changing conditions of the new world that we live in today,” he said.
Regarding the United Nations Security Council, the Caribbean Community continues to advocate for its reform, considering the need for adequate representation of small states in a new and expanded Security Council. “Guyana will continue to collaborate with India towards the reform of this body,” the president said. He also reiterated Guyana’s continued support of India’s candidature for a permanent seat on the expanded Security Council.
