Guyana welcomed the appointment of Sweden’s Non-Resident Ambassador, Her Excellency Maria Velasco, a move that will further strengthen relations between the two countries.
The ambassador was honoured at a reception hosted at Banks DIH Ltd, Friday evening, where government representatives and diplomats gathered to mark the growing partnership.
Speaking at the event, Acting President and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira said Guyana is optimistic about its future and is eager to build stronger alliances with international partners.
“We are excited and our country is optimistic about the future and about where we are going and what Guyana’s potential could be. So, we look for partners and allies that we can work together with, and we look forward to our friendship with Sweden and many other countries, particularly those in Latin America and the Caribbean,” she said.
The acting president noted that cooperation on global challenges such as climate change remains a key priority for Guyana.
(left to right) Sweden’s Non-Resident Ambassador, Her Excellency Maria Velasco and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira at reception
She stated that the country is among those with the most intact forests and biospheres in the world and continues to balance environmental protection with national development.
“Our people have a right to live a good quality of life like many other countries,” Minister Teixeira said.
She pointed to Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) as the country’s model for achieving sustainable growth while protecting its natural resources.
The minister added that countries such as Sweden bring valuable experience that could support Guyana’s development goals, particularly in areas such as technology and innovation.
She also outlined the country’s push towards the “orange economy”, which includes cultural industries and digital transformation, noting that rapid technological expansion has significantly improved connectivity nationwide.
“Five years ago, the whole country was not connected. We are now about 80 per cent or more connected. That has radically changed how we are working, how we do business, and how people access services and programmes,” Minister Texeira stated.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Maria Velasco emphasised Sweden’s commitment to innovation and international cooperation.
She noted that Sweden’s prosperity is supported by strong partnerships within the Nordic region and the wider European community.
“We have the best neighbours in the world, the Nordic countries, and we are part of the European Union,” she said.
Together with the European Union, Sweden forms part of one of the largest trading blocs globally.
Ambassador Velasco said Guyana and the countries of CARICOM share many common values with the European Union.
“Politically, the EU and Guyana and the CARICOM countries share a lot of common values. We are democracies, we value multilateralism, international law and a rules-based order,” she said.
She added that cooperation between the two regions is essential in addressing global challenges.
“Together we can deepen cooperation between Guyana, this region and Europe, and make the world a little bit better place,” said Ambassador Velasco.
