President Lula meets with President of Guyana Irfaan Ali

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, this Thursday, February 29, to strengthen integration and trade relations between the countries. The commitment came shortly after the 46th Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

We really want to contribute so that Guyana can transform this exceptional economic moment into greater social and human development”

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

At the beginning of the meeting, the President of Guyana paid tribute to Lula by naming the hall where the meeting took place at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, in Georgetown, “Lula Hall”. "Your smile and your luminosity are what we want for the future of Guyana," said Ali as he showed the official photo of the Brazilian President's third term hanging on the wall. "It’s even more beautiful than my own office," said Lula with a smile.

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 In Guyana, Lula highlights opportunities for integration between Brazil and the Caribbean countries

The President of Brazil highlighted that the Brazilian government is interested in advancing issues with Guyana—such as logistical integration, food security, energy, combating transnational crime, and peace in the region. “We are willing to discuss with Guyana financing the development of infrastructure that will integrate our countries,” he said.

Lula suggested that Ali visit Brazil with a delegation of businesspersons so as to show Brazilian investors how Guyana is an economically attractive country. "We really want to contribute so that Guyana can transform this exceptional economic moment into greater social and human development," he said, adding that he wants to participate in the construction of ports, roads and airways that connect the Caribbean to the Northern Region of Brazil.

The oil sector is in full development in Guyana following the discovery of significant deposits in the country, and President Ali expressed his expectation that Petrobras will become more involved in exploration. Lula stated that he will discuss possibilities of partnership with Guyana with the company. “Bearing in mind that Petrobras today is not just an oil and gas company, but an energy company in a broader sense, with an important dimension in the production of renewable energy,” highlighted Lula.

The Brazilian leader highlighted Irfaan Ali's planned participation in the 8th Summit of Heads of State and Government of CELAC, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, “so that we can maintain our continent and our region as a zone of peace.”

HISTORIC ENGAGEMENT – The president of Guyana thanked Lula for the Brazilian president's historic engagement with the region, for his leadership, and for defending peace and prosperity in developing countries.

Ali highlighted Guyana's growth, noting that the country was once the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most indebted in the world. However, after starting oil and gas exploration, the Guyanese economy registered a record growth of almost 400% between 2021 and 2023 (from USD 8 billion to more than USD 40 billion). The visit consolidates an increasingly broad commercial relationship.

"I saw the inauguration of the first bridge between Brazil and Guyana, between Bonfim and Lethem, during your government, and it was a historic moment in our relationship. I remember everything we planned to do for the logistical integration of our countries—and it is a great joy to see that we can carry out most of those projects today, with our own resources and with access to financing," said Irfaan Ali.

The President of Guyana stated that he is focused on using the country's wealth to invest in social and human development, in addition to infrastructure for the region's development. He also said that Guyana will give full priority to physical and logistical integration with Brazil. "We see Brazil as an integral part of our economy.”