Promising to advance US interests here, while reducing Guyana’s dependence on China if appointed, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot also said that the administration stands with this country and supports the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award it has with Venezuela.
The career diplomat who has served in 10 countries on four continents, is confident that being familiar with both the challenges and opportunities this country faces, given its newfound oil wealth potential, she can help to ensure that Guyana sees the US as its preferred ally.
Appearing at a nomination hearing before the US Foreign Relations Committee last Tuesday, Theriot gave a statement and fielded questions from Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and Nebraska Senator John Peter Ricketts among others.
“Two of my overseas assignments have been in the Caribbean – Haiti and Barbados – and others have been in countries with incredible potential for economic growth, so I am familiar with both the challenges and opportunities in Guyana,” Theriot said in an opening statement to the committee. “I have worked on programmes dealing with increasing bilateral trade and investment, strengthening security, combatting trafficking, increasing sustainable energy and climate resilience, and countering corruption, all while enhancing critical people-to-people ties that give us an important advantage over others operating in the region, including the PRC [People’s Republic of China].
“Given my service in the Caribbean and in countries ripe for economic advancement, such as Morocco and Pakistan, I am particularly honoured to be considered for this important position. Guyana is experiencing rapid transformation and has tremendous potential, but it also faces challenges including climate change, crime, poverty and corruption. If confirmed, I will work with the Guyanese government and people to address these challenges and proudly champion US values in an ethnically, religiously diverse Guyana.”
If approved, Theriot will replace Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch whose appointment took effect in 2019.
She told the Senate that she will work alongside the government of Guyana to continue to ensure that there is responsible leveraging of the country’s newfound oil revenues, “to expand economic opportunities, develop reliable infrastructure, and increase social services”.
She added that she will work to increase trade and investment and to promote many exciting opportunities for US companies.
The people of Guyana, she said, can be assured of her support in building on gains in democratic governance.
She said she will also help as Georgetown addresses “humanely” the influx of Venezuelan and other migrants.
Theriot believes that a “secure, democratic, and prosperous Guyana will remain an important US ally in the region”.
Given that the US’s collaboration is not only limited to this country, she noted that she will be integral in ensuring that Washington’s work with Caricom and other regional partners continues. She singled out US-Caribbean partnerships to address the current climate crisis in the PACC2030 initiative, as well as regional stability, security, human rights, food and energy security programmes.
During questioning, she was asked how she would help ensure President Irfaan Ali’s goal of having the proceeds from oil and gas benefit the people was done transparently, and was not just promises, as occurred in some countries that faced similar situations and ended up with the resource curse.
“You are absolutely correct that we have seen the resource curse hurt other countries. I believe my role would be to provide support to the Ali government so they follow appropriate roles,” she said.
On promoting United States companies, Theriot reasoned that while they may not always be the lowest bidders, Guyana will appreciate the value of the quality and ethics they bring, along with their known corporate social responsibility commitments.
She pointed out that the largest capital contract here went to a US company – for the Gas to Shore project – and it is projects like this the US must work on continuing. “We can ensure the resource curse would not be an issue for the Guyanese,” she said.
Told that Venezuela president and “dictator has made threatening remarks against Guyana”, and asked directly if she can “confirm the Biden administration and you will stand by Guyana in this territorial dispute,” Theriot answered in the affirmative.
“Absolutely Mr Chairman. We will continue to respect and support the current boundaries of Guyana as laid out in the 1899 arbitral award, unless an integral competent body like the ICJ decides otherwise. We really hope for a peaceful resolution to this issue.”
Senator Rickitts told Theriot and the three other nominees to other countries that they are all going to face the challenges that the Chinese communist party poses.
The Republican Senator pointed out that Guyana is a democracy and a friend of the US government but the Ali administration was not happy with the US’s vetoing of a US$180 million loan to Guyanese business – Guyana Shorebase Inc.
“Guyana Shorebase asked the IDB for help and the IDB proposed [US]$180 million and the Biden admin vetoed that. That is shortsighted as China has no such restrictions in signing contracts to build infrastructure in Guyana and around the world. We would do a better job,” he said, while adding that the Biden administration also provided sanctions relief to the Maduro regime related to petrol supply.
Asked about her thoughts of the blocking of the loan, she pointed out that the decision was made in March of 2022.
“I would say that things have changed significantly since the war in Ukraine and things have dragged on. It is a real concern and significant issue. What I would do if confirmed is make sure that there is a level playing field for US companies in Guyana. I think that is our [goal] to ensure that China does not take over this industry,” she responded.
She said it “is incredibly important that we remain a preferred partner [of] the government for security cooperation”, investment and other support for companies.
Probed directly on if she thought it was against the US’s “strategic interest” to veto the loan, she said that the veto was “in line” with the Biden admiration’s policies on fossil fuel continuation but she doesn’t think now that it was an issue.
And if that loan should come up again, she stated, “I don’t want to speculate. The oil sector is developing well through private sector development.”
Theriot said that she does not believe that veto would have contributed to pushing Guyana towards China.
“No sir. They have shown time and time again that the US is the preferred partner…,” she said.
Last September, the White House announced that Theriot, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service who was serving as Principal Officer in Karachi, Pakistan had been nominated as the new US Ambassador to Guyana.
According to the bio data provided by the White House, Theriot previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Prior to that, she was Director for Immigration and Visa Security at the National Security Council in the Executive Office of the President. Before that, she was Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Overseas Citizens Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs. Previously, Theriot was Political Counselor at the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan; Principal Officer in Casablanca, Morocco; and Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Supervisory Regional Consular Officer in Frankfurt, Germany.
The White House said her other overseas assignments included Internal Politics Chief in Islamabad, Pakistan; Consul General in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean; Deputy Consular Chief in Baghdad, Iraq; Non-immigrant Visa Chief in Montreal, Canada; Consular Officer in Paris, France; and Information Officer in Lagos, Nigeria. Theriot is the recipient of numerous State Department performance awards, including a Senior Foreign Service Performance award. She holds a BA degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in International Relations from Vanderbilt University. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she also speaks French and Urdu.
