‘More Europe to Guyana and more Guyana to Europe’ as EU-Guyana Chambers of Commerce launched

President Irfaan Ali poses for a photo with outgoing EU Ambassador, Fernando Ponz Canto along with other dignitaries

As a testimony of strengthening bilateral relations, Guyana and the European Union today launched the EU-Guyana Chambers of Commerce.

This new organisation will promote international trade among local companies and members of this chamber while also providing representation.

Outgoing Ambassador of the European Union to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto said this partnership comes at a critical time and it is the best way to bring “more Europe to Guyana and more Guyana to Europe.”

The Ambassador assured that the chamber will advocate for businesses of all sizes and also will focus on businesses outside of the energy sector.

“The chamber will advocate and promote the interest of business of all sizes and sectors and I emphasise that. I am aware very much that Guyana wants to go to a way of diversification and this is very important, this is very wise I think in my humble opinion and this chamber will go well beyond oil, beyond gas there are many other things this wonderful country has to offer and we are determine to promote them in Europe,” the Ambassador posited.

He envisions the chamber to be one that will facilitate training, seminars, and networking events for its members with a heavy focus on small businesses.

Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali who delivered the keynote remarks noted that Guyana is actively working to become one of the best partners of trade on the global market and urged the EU to focus on strategic partnership so they can benefit from opportunities in the future.

Importantly he urged the businesses within the chamber to not look at this opportunity “narrowly as a transaction or great connections.”

Instead he urged them to look at it as building a system to support long term objectives.

“We have to stop thinking transactionally, from the time we stop thinking transactional we will understand the bigger picture, the more macro picture. For two long we have been thinking in a transactional way, that is why we are still locked in a system where the business is family owned,” he told the business community.

While one of the major purposes of having a business is to make a profit, the Head of State urged for them to be “impactful and different.”

The Eurochamber was established in 1958 consisting of members all across the world.