The Guyana/Brazil Frontier Committee yesterday held a virtual extraordinary meeting to discuss challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and cross border movement between the two countries.
A press release issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry said officials from the two States focused on a number of areas, including the impact of the pandemic on regional economic activity, indigenous communities along the border, illegal crossings, security, joint patrols, support for vulnerable groups and trafficking in persons. They also discussed measures to coordinate efforts to support the health and safety of the region.
“Given what we have been seeing with regard to the COVID-19 cases on both sides, we should have a discussion to ensure that we are coordinating our responses to the pandemic as closely as possible,” Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Charlene Phoenix, leader of Guyana’s delegation to the virtual summit, was quoted as saying.
