The Government of Guyana says it is in discussions with the United States and other partners on establishing an integrated system to help protect the country’s airspace and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The talks are being held amid concerns about the continued use of international waters and the EEZs of various countries by criminals, and come as Guyana raises worries about flights linked to suspected narco-traffickers operating in its airspace.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali said abuse of Guyana’s airspace and EEZ remains a critical issue and that the government is pursuing technology and partnerships to address it.
“We are now working on building out a system. We are discussing with the US and other partners on how we can build out an integrated system,” Ali said, adding that such systems are costly but could be pursued through partnerships that would help tackle abuse of the EEZ and airspace.
He said Guyana recently joined a US-led coalition to fight narco-terrorism in the Americas, and that the country is taking an integrated approach to crime fighting, including working with the United States and other regional bilateral partners.
The President said the objective is to develop a common platform that can integrate infrastructure, share intelligence, and build a resilient network to combat transnational crime, particularly drug trafficking.
Ali also stated that the discussions do not involve the establishment of a US military base in Guyana. He noted, however, that the country has a history of military and security partnerships, including with the US and the UK, which involve training, intelligence gathering, the exchange of technology, and networking aimed at strengthening Guyana’s capacity to respond to threats.
