Joint release
Ministry of Natural Resources, Conservation International ink MoU to formalize shared commitment to pursue a green, diversified economy for Guyana
-Priorities include support to meet international commitments and pursue responsible mining for Guyana
Ministry of Natural Resources & Conservation International-Guyana
Georgetown, Guyana
February 26, 2019
With the aim of furthering its interest in promoting and supporting the expansion and diversification of Guyana’s green economy, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Conservation International-Guyana (CI-Guyana) this morning. The signing culminated with a briefing session by CI-Guyana with the Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Raphael Trotman, and his team to give an update on CI’s work and progress in Guyana.
Both MNR and CI-Guyana share a wide range of common interests related to the sustainable management of natural resources and broader sustainable development in Guyana.
As such, the MoU is based on a shared desire between the MNR and CI-Guyana to assist and collaborate to build a sustainable green economy, where there is strong responsible involvement, ownership, action, and benefit sharing by the People of Guyana.
The MoU will aid in progressing Guyana’s efforts in meeting international commitments (like the Minamata Convention, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and by extension Guyana’s Nationally Determined Contribution and others), pursuing responsible mining for Guyana, supporting policy development, continuing support for Guyana’s Monitoring, Reporting and Verification System (MRVS), linking natural resource management with community development and cultivating a culture focused on the conservation and management of Guyana’s freshwater resources.
Both parties view monitoring impact as important and will consult regularly to track the progress of the agreed activities. The outputs, outcomes and impacts of the MoU will be reviewed at semi-annual meetings held between the two signatories.
The MoU will be valid for an initial period of two years with an option to renew after an evaluation is undertaken by MNR and CI-Guyana.
The MoU is one of several signed with partners recently to strengthen joint efforts which contribute to advancing the Ministry’s efforts to promote and support responsible exploration and sustainable development of Guyana’s natural resources through effective management, regulation, and oversight of its regulatory agencies.
—END–
Remarks by Hon Raphael Trotman, Minister of Natural Resources
The Ministry of Natural Resources is pleased to sign this Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration between the Ministry and Conservation International -Guyana. This MoU which aims towards the enablement of Guyana’s green economic growth and development, represents another step in a level of exchange between the Ministry and CI-Guyana that will bode well for progress on a range of natural resource sector development initiatives.
As my Ministry aims at promoting and supporting the expansion and diversification of the green economy, we realize that it is more effective to work together with those who share our common interests relating to the sustainable management of our natural resources and Guyana’s overall sustainable development. In this sense, it is recognized by both my Ministry and CI that an ideal green economy is built on the principles of increasing human wellbeing and social equity, while reducing ecological scarcities and environmental risks and it is only fitting that we formally collaborate to achieve these.
I am pleased that this agreement will further strengthen our already advanced cooperation. The Ministry and by extension the Government of Guyana looks forward to continuing to enhance this constructive relationship in the interest of exploring, developing and sustaining Guyana’s patrimony; its natural resources and ensuring the green economy for all Guyanese.
Remarks by Mr Curtis Bernard, Senior Technical Director, CI-Guyana
To secure and sustain development for Guyanese now and in the future, we must secure our natural heritage, the cornerstone of our development and wellbeing. For more than two decades, CI-Guyana, through diverse partnerships, has helped design and implement solutions to secure Guyana’s natural heritage. We are committed to continuing this work. CI-Guyana’s partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the agencies under its purview is critical to ensure that Guyana’s natural resources are exploited responsibly and contributes to growth in the total wealth of Guyana. Our partnership has resulted in continued operation of Guyana’s state of the art MRVS system, and more recently working towards responsible mining for Guyana through the El Dorado Gold initiative. in more than 30 countries across the world, CI’s passionate local teams work with governments, private sector, civil society and indigenous peoples to secure nature for people. Our work is built on strong diverse partnerships and sound science. We look forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership the Ministry of Natural Resources and others towards achieving the 2025 Vision for Guyana – that Guyanese value and secure nature as a cornerstone of their development and wellbeing.
