United Nations in Guyana

The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth's environment, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. Kindly note that the data visualizations show an aggregate of the Caribbean. To view the disaggregated data for Guyana, please select it from the dropdown menu.

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17 March 2023

Transport in Economic, Spatial, Social and Environmental Development

Watch the dialogue: https://bit.ly/3XArpdq On 20 January 2023, the UN and the University of Guyana Green Institute co-hosted a policy dialogue, which was facilitated by Professor Roger Vickerman, Emeritus Professor of European Economics at the University of Kent. In his presentation Professor Vickerman considered the notion of transport justice (the way in which access to transportation has differential economic outcomes for specific population segments), as well as the relative share of carbon emissions accounted for by the private and public components of transportation systems. The presentation highlighted the costs to public health associated with worsening air quality as road traffic increases. Reviewing different transportation networks (notably roads and waterways), Professor Vickerman further considered the relative advantages of private and public transport systems, including questions of cost, integration, regulation and disability inclusion. His presentation ended with a series of policy implications on future transport sector planning in Guyana. Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 directly considers the necessity of building the relevant infrastructure for low carbon public and private transportation systems. This dialogue series considered policy options for responding to the triple challenge of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Consistent with the right of all people in Guyana to self-development, opportunity, and a healthy environment, the dialogues have considered Guyana’s growth trajectory, the global transition away from fossil fuels, and incentives in environmental protection.

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17 March 2023

African, Caribbean and Pacific countries ready to show the true potential of their fisheries and aquaculture sectors

A key fisheries and aquaculture development programme implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted significant potential to boost these sectors in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania, Guyana and the Marshall Islands, making them more self-sufficient, creating jobs and preserving biological stock levels. The countries are the first five of 12 African, Caribbean and Pacific states analysed by the global fish value chain development programme, FISH4ACP. Implemented by FAO, this initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) focuses on making fisheries and aquaculture value chains more productive and sustainable, with an emphasis on supporting women given their crucial role in fish value chains - the whole process of adding value to the product. “This initiative marks an important step towards a blue transformation of fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, benefitting not just fishers and their communities but ensuring that growth goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness,” says FAO’s Gilles Van De Walle, Chief Technical Adviser, FISH4ACP. "We are thrilled to see FISH4ACP moving into action to unlock the potential of fisheries and aquaculture in ACP countries. There is an urgency to boost our fisheries and aquaculture sectors because they greatly contribute to economic growth, decent jobs, and food and nutrition security," says Cristelle Pratt, Assistant Secretary-General, OACPS. EU and Germany funding FISH4ACP is being implemented with €47 million in funding from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). "The focus on all three aspects of sustainability - the economic, the environmental and the social - sets this programme apart. Now that FISH4ACP is entering a new phase, it will be able to strike a balance between production and protection, to contribute towards fair income distribution and decent working conditions and to champion sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific," says Leonard Mizzi, the EU’s Head of Unit in Directorate General for International Partnerships. "We are delighted to see that FISH4ACP is now ready to put its comprehensive value chain approach at work in support of fisheries and aquaculture development. It is key that it takes all players into account, at all stages - from net to plate. FISH4ACP’s innovative approach will boost the supply of aquatic foods, economic returns and social equity, and reduce negative impacts on the marine environment,” says Hendrik Denker, deputy head of the BMZ Division for Food and Nutrition Security, Global Food Policy and Fisheries. The publication of its first five reports provides a baseline for supporting the countries in strengthening their fish value chains, increasing self-sufficiency in fish production, creating local jobs and maintaining sustainable stock levels. Among the report's findings: Potential to make Côte d’Ivoire self-sufficient in fish production through a 10-year strategy to boost tilapia production from the current 6,000-8,300 tonnes per year to 68,000 tonnes by 2031 without extra burden on the environment. This would meet the entire national demand, through a more structured, local, and sustainable value chain that will generate jobs, respect good environmental practices and increase resilience.[see story and read the report]. A need to tackle declining catches of a variety of prawns, known as seabob, in Guyana, while promoting artisanal fisheries, particularly strengthening the position of women. Key opportunities include strong demand from the US and European markets for more high-value seabob if biological stock issues can be addressed and bigger shrimps can be caught; and strong domestic demand for fresh seabob that can be sold to restaurants and supermarkets. [see story and read the report]. How the Marshall Islands can generate more value and local jobs from the multi-million dollar tuna trade, boosting it to $55 million by 2031 using one type of vessel alone and strengthening its position as a leading hub for tuna through transshipment and containerization, with Marshall Islands-based companies incentivized to shift to new and more efficient loading machines for filling containers with tuna. This will reduce the cost of packing and shipping tuna in containers and allow the fish to be sorted, fetching a higher price. [see story and read the report]. By tapping into Senegal’s oyster production and boosting the number of oyster farms, the study found great potential to meet local demand and support the development of modern oyster farming. By 2031, the country aims to boost national production by 30 per cent to 21,000 tones to cover more than 80 per cent of domestic demand, with added value nearly tripling to $12.6 million, and full-time jobs nearly doubling from 6 500 to 11 000. [see story and read the report]. Potential to leverage increasing consumer demand and market opportunities in Tanzania to improve sustainability of Lake Tanganyika’s sardine, sprat and perch fisheries and bridge the gender gap. Using better processing and cold chain techniques, improved business models with more participation by women and better compliance with fisheries legislation can help to boost value added in the sector by 12 per cent and increase fish processors’ incomes by an average of 42 per cent. [see story and read the report] The FISH4ACP value chain analysis is based on 5 200 interviewees, with more than 100 focus groups and 50 stakeholder workshops organised to validate findings. The five value chain assessment reports published (Côte d’Ivoire, Guyana, Marshall Islands, Senegal, Tanzania) helped to field test FAO’s value chain analysis method, which will be published in the coming months. FAO's work in fisheries and aquaculture promotes the effective management of aquatic living resources and the development of capacities to ensure equitable outcomes for all. It is geared towards bringing about a Blue Transformation, a vision committed to building sustainability and resilience. Much of FISH4ACP’s work addresses the needs of artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers. The value of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture for our food systems, our livelihoods and our environment has been celebrated through the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA), which draws to a close on 31 March.

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17 February 2023

Guyana commended for contribution to relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria

On 15 February, the Government of Guyana announced financial contributions to the relief efforts in Türkiye and Syria. The earthquakes of 6 February claimed over forty-one thousand lives in the two countries. Millions of people need humanitarian assistance, especially children. I am professionally and personally moved by this announcement. I have friends and family in that part of the world. Therefore, this is very close to me. But for the people of Guyana, those places are so, so far away. There are no pressing political or economic ties. There are also needs in Guyana and closer to home in the Caribbean. But this contribution is significant for precisely those reasons. First, this contribution is a decisive demonstration of Guyana’s commitment to global solidarity as a principle of international relations and peace and to end human suffering everywhere. Second, the Government of Guyana has chosen to provide its assistance through the United Nations, responding to the UN Secretary-General’s appeals. This allows for the assistance of Guyana to join those made by others in solidarity and for greater impact. When the images of the devastation from my home country appeared on screens in Guyanese homes, friends and colleagues called and checked on my loved ones. A few days later, I found envelopes of small cash at my home here in Georgetown. My Guyanese neighbors had left their modest gifts at my door with their sympathy notes and prayers - in all faiths. I deposited them online with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Food Program (WFP). During my official functions as UN Resident Coordinator, my civil society and Government partners including Ministers all took moments out to reflect on my people’s loss back home. They drew lessons from the global solidarity for their own renewed commitment to serve, to improve, to lift those who may need assistance here. This contribution made by the Head of State on behalf of the people of Guyana gives a tangible shape and volume to the thoughtfulness, kindness and the many acts of solidarity which I had the profound honor to witness in the past days. All those individual thoughts, prayers and contributions are herewith compounded with those of many others from all around the globe, sending a message from a Guyana for humanity through the global family of nations, the United Nations. And for all those reasons, and many more, accept Guyana please my profound gratitude, love and respect.

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Photo of two rescue workers holding a baby.

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20 February 2023

Getting ripe for the picking! Guyana works to boost its cherry production

The West Indian Cherry (Acerola) is a beloved and popular fruit that many have enjoyed for years in its raw form or in fresh juices, jellies, and other preservatives. While the demand for cherry remains strong in the country, especially for use in the fruit juice industry, the country has not been able to maintain a consistent supply. Although the Guyanese grown cherry is preferred, some local fruit juice producers have had to rely on imported concentrate to meet their demand. To address these supply issues, over 170 stakeholders participated in a weeklong Training Programme held from February 7 to 10, 2023. Among the participants were cherry farmers and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, and the Tropical Orchards Products Company (TOPCO). The trainings form part of a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) focused on the Sustainable Development of Resilient Value Chains and the Implementation of the CARICOM COVID-19 Agri-Food Recovery Plan. The training in West Indian Cherry production sought to help the country increase its production of cherries for local market consumption by addressing some of the technical production challenges. Some of the primary areas of focus included good agricultural practices to aid in improving yields and helping farmers to manage Anthracnose, a major disease that affects cherry trees. Specifically, participants received classroom training and were taken to cherry nurseries to receive hands-on training in orchard management, soil management, irrigation, pruning, fertilization and nutrition, pre- and post-harvest handling, propagation, grafting and pest and disease management. Chandreka Lall, Cherry Farmer participating in the trainings remarked that he learnt a lot about grafting and budding, which will help in his production. Similarly, Dexter Van-Veen, from TOPCO, noted that the trainings were informative, especially regarding the planting material being used, and helped him to realise how cherry production could be improved. He added that he had a good learning experience and that the sessions would be particularly helpful for trainers who will train other farmers. The trainings were delivered by FAO Tree Crop Expert, Dr Rogério Ritzinger, who will continue to support the National Value Chain team in Guyana in the production of cherry to use the techniques learned during the trainings. Dr Gillian Smith, FAO Representative for Guyana remarked that “our aim is to help build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable value chain. By increasing knowledge and skills in good agricultural practices among all stakeholders involved in the chain, Guyana can achieve its objectives of improving its production, in an environmentally responsible way, while promoting food security and the consumption of locally grown produce.” She concluded that this would also contribute to reducing the CARICOM food importation bill by 25 per cent by 2025. As FAO continues to support Guyana in building resilient value chains, ensuring a consistent and high-quality supply of produce is an important step in this process. It is expected that trainers taught during these sessions will train other farmers and share their knowledge with other farmers across Guyana to help further the sustainable production of cherry and build this local industry over the coming years.

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Farmers and producers during a field visit

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Press Release

17 March 2023

Guyana Activates World Bank Financing to Reduce Flooding in Georgetown

Much of Guyana’s economic activity, especially agriculture, is concentrated in low-lying areas and 90% of the country’s population live on a coastal plain which lies below sea level. The impact of rising sea levels and intensified storm surges in Guyana could exceed 46.4 percent in Gross Domestic Product losses. Despite extensive urban and rural drainage, Georgetown’s system is frequently overwhelmed, resulting in severe flooding which causes damage to infrastructure, and disrupts urban activities, hampering the prosperity and wellbeing of affected communities. “The World Bank is pleased to support Guyana, as the country seeks to build its climate resilience”, said Diletta Doretti, World Bank’s Resident Representative for Guyana. “Flooding not only has negative impacts on lives and livelihoods but can also impact health, due to communicable diseases”, Ms. Doretti added. The World Bank official further commended the Government of Guyana for awarding the contracts to local companies. The interventions financed under these contracts will reduce flood levels in two catchment areas, and include replacement of existing pumps, additional pumping capacity, rehabilitation of the sluice gates at Ogle, and two mobile pumps, also at Ogle. Further, the Flood Risk Management Project supports upgrading critical sections of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Dams, and institutional strengthening for flood risk reduction while also facilitating project management and implementation support, through local agencies and institutions. Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha highlighted the necessity to improve the drainage systems across the country as they impact development outcomes. He said, “as we are improving the flood risk management of our country, we are seeing more development especially in the agriculture sector. This project will help the entire eastern part of Region Four which will contribute to the ease of flooding in these areas.” The Bank and the Government of Guyana expressed their mutual commitment to improving flood risk management, during the signing event for contractors. Contacts: In the Caribbean: Penny Bowen, pbowen@worldbankgroup.org Learn more about the work of the World Bank in the Caribbean: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/caribbean
Be updated via Twitter: https://twitter.com/WBCaribbean

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Press Release

24 January 2023

UN Report: 131 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean cannot access a healthy diet

January 18, 2022, Santiago, Chile. The new United Nations report Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2022 finds that 22.5% of the Latin America and the Caribbean population cannot afford a healthy diet. In the Caribbean this figure reaches 52%; in Mesoamerica, 27.8%; and in South America, 18.4%. The publication reports that 131.3 million people in the region could not afford a healthy diet in 2020. This represents an increase of 8 million compared to 2019 and is due to the higher average daily cost of healthy diets in Latin America and the Caribbean compared to the rest of the world's regions, reaching in the Caribbean a value of USD 4.23, followed by South America and Mesoamerica with USD 3.61 and USD 3.47, respectively. This problem is related to different socioeconomic and nutritional indicators. The report presents a clear relationship between the inability to afford a healthy diet and such variables as a country's income level, the incidence of poverty, and the level of inequality. The report also reveals that the rise in international food prices experienced since 2020, exacerbated after the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and a regional increase in food inflation above the general level, have increased the difficulties for people to access a healthy diet. The document also includes recommendations based on evidence and an analysis of policies already implemented to improve the availability and affordability of nutritious foods, focusing on supporting the most vulnerable people and low-income households that spend a more significant proportion of their budget on food. "There is no individual policy that can solve this problem independently. National and regional coordination mechanisms need to be strengthened to respond to hunger and malnutrition," said Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. "To contribute to the affordability of healthy diets, it is necessary to create incentives for the diversification of the production of nutritious foods aimed mainly at family farming and small-scale producers, take measures for the transparency of the prices of these foods in markets and trade, and actions such as cash transfers and improving school menus," Lubetkin concluded. Trade and market policies can play a fundamental role in improving food security and nutrition. Greater transparency and efficiency improve inter-regional agri-food trade by replacing uncertainty with market predictability and stability. "We are talking about the region of the world with the most expensive healthy diet, which particularly affects vulnerable populations – small farmers, rural women, and indigenous and Afro-descendant populations – who allocate a greater percentage of their income to the purchase of food," said IFAD Regional Director Rossana Polastri. "To reverse this situation, we must promote innovative solutions that diversify production and increase the supply of healthy food, and that improve small producers' access to markets and quality food, including digital solutions that articulate food supply and demand." The report also describes how some nutrition-sensitive social protection programs have worked and are essential to support the diets of the most vulnerable population, particularly in periods of crisis. “Food insecurity will continue to rise due to the food and fuel price crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine and the aftermath of COVID-19,” said Lola Castro, WFP Regional Director. “We must act now, but how can we do it? Supporting governments to expand social protection networks because the pandemic once again demonstrated that social protection is useful to improve the affordability of a healthy diet, preventing crises like this from hitting affected populations even more”. Other food policies, such as nutritional labelling, subsidizing nutritious foods, and taxing unhealthy or non-nutritious foods that do not contribute to healthy diets, if well designed, can improve the affordability of healthy diets and prevent debilitating conditions and diseases related to overweight and obesity. "We must redouble efforts to address malnutrition in all its forms by promoting public policies to create healthy food environments, eliminate industrially produced trans fats, implement front-end warning labeling, regulate advertising of unhealthy foods, tax sugary drinks, and support healthy eating and physical activity in schools," PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne said. "Understanding the factors that determine poor dietary practices is key to finding solutions and ensuring that everyone in the region has access to healthy foods," she said. For example, countries with higher levels of poverty and inequality tend to have more significant difficulties accessing a healthy diet, which is directly associated with a higher prevalence of hunger, chronic malnutrition in boys and girls, and anemia in women aged 15 to 49. “For children to grow up healthy, it is not only urgent to ensure the availability of nutritious food at affordable prices. It is also necessary to develop public policies that guarantee adequate nutrition, in addition to nutritional counseling, focusing actions on the most vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Garry Conille, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. The socioeconomic panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean is not encouraging. The most affected population groups are children under five and women, who suffer a higher prevalence of food insecurity than men. The Regional Panorama of Food and Nutrition Security 2022 is a joint publication of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO); the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The number of hungry people in the region continues to rise Between 2019 and 2021, the number of hungry people in the region increased by 13.2 million, reaching 56.5 million hungry people in 2021. The highest increase was in South America, where an additional 11 million people suffered from hunger. Between 2019 and 2021, hunger reached a prevalence of 7.9% in South America, 8.4% in Mesoamerica, and 16.4% in the Caribbean. In 2021, 40.6% of the regional population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, compared to 29.3% worldwide. Severe food insecurity was also more frequent in the region (14.2%) than in the world (11.7%). Other figures presented in the report indicate that the region registers an important and positive evolution regarding the prevalence of chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age. In 2020, this figure was 11.3% in Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately ten percentage points below the world average. However, 3.9 million children up to five years of age are overweight. Read the report: https://www.fao.org/3/CC2314EN/online/sofi-statistics-rlc-2022/key-messages-ch-1.html https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cc3859en

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Press Release

20 September 2022

Food Insecurity in the Caribbean Continues on upward trajectory, CARICOM-WFP survey finds

BRIDGETOWN - Nearly 4.1 million people or 57 percent of the population now face food insecurity, according to a recent survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). While severe food insecurity in the region remained largely unchanged, when compared to February 2022, there has been a significant increase in households that have fallen into moderate levels of food insecurity. Overall, the number of food insecure people has increased by 1.3 million over the past six months. The deterioration has been attributed to rising costs for food and other commodities, as the ripple effect of the Ukraine conflict and a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is felt throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Nearly 6 percent of people in the English-speaking Caribbean reported going an entire day without eating in the week leading up to the survey, which is a 1 percent increase since February 2022. Another 36 percent of respondents skipped meals or ate less than usual, and 32 percent ate less preferred foods in the week leading up to the survey. In February these figures were at 30 and 25 percent, respectively. "We are seeing worrying trends in the region with people selling off their assets and using their savings to meet basic needs. This was unheard of in the region previously," said Regis Chapman, Representative and Country Director WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office. "These negative coping strategies are unsustainable, and we fear that these short-term measures will lead to a further increase in the number of people who are unable to meet their daily food requirements." The Caribbean region continues to be impacted by external factors which threaten livelihoods and the ability of people to meet their basic needs. On average, food inflation in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean has risen by 10.2 percent across 20 countries as of March 2022. High energy prices are exacerbating the food price crisis. Ninety-seven percent of people surveyed reported seeing higher prices for food items compared to 59 percent in April 2020. “For the first time in over two years, people’s inability to meet food and essential needs were top concerns, followed by unemployment,” said Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, CARICOM Secretariat. “CARICOM recognizes that further support is necessary to reduce the level of need in the region and establish systems which facilitate access to nutritious food for all. Leaders in the region are actively engaging with decision makers across all relevant sectors to identify solutions for increasing food production and reducing import dependency within the region in order to reduce the cost of food.” The most recent survey results and an interactive dashboard are available to carry out a full comparison of data across all five rounds of the survey and the different countries that are covered. The dashboard now has additional information specifically on the impact of economic conditions on the farming and fishing sectors along with livelihoods, markets, and food security. CARICOM, WFP and other partners continue to work together to increase people’s resilience to shocks through stronger disaster management, social protection and food systems that are more effective, sustainable and responsive in meeting the needs of those most affected by crises. Social protection programmes and other government support has been scaled up throughout the Caribbean, helping offset the impacts of the crisis. Investments in agriculture are aimed at reducing the reliance on imports. The survey has been made possible with the support of the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance. Note to the editor: Click here to view the dashboard Click here to read the full report About WFP The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. About CARICOM The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a grouping of 20 countries: 15 Member States and five Associate Members, with the aims of promoting economic integration and cooperation in foreign policy, human and social development and security. Caribbean economic integration, and cooperation amongst its members, including in foreign policy. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WFPCaribbean and https://www.facebook.com/caricom.org For more information please contact: Carla.alleyne@wfp.org, WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, +1(246) 467-6085 Juliette.maughan@wfp.org, WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, +1(246) 467-6084 Shaun.baugh@caricom.org, CARICOM Secretariat (592) 222-0001 -0006 Ext: 2244

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Press Release

14 September 2022

President of the UN General Assembly and Foreign Minister Engage in Bilateral Talks

The PGA is currently in Guyana for an official visit which concludes tomorrow, 10 September 2022. The PGA is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives. Honourable Minister Todd commended His Excellency Shahid for stewardship of the work of the General Assembly during his tenure and committed to working closely with the Maldives at both the bilateral and multilateral levels to build on the work that the PGA undertook during his presidency and to explore new ways of strengthening the relations between Guyana and the Maldives. His Excellency Shahid thanked Minister Todd for the excellent support that Guyana provided to him in his role as President of the General Assembly and noted the key role that Guyana played in the process of the establishment of the UN Youth Office. On 8 September 2022, the UN Member States unanimously decided to establish a UN Youth Office dedicated to engagement and advocacy for the advancement of youth issues across the United Nations in the areas of peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. His Excellency Shahid is the first Maldivian national to serve as President of the General Assembly and was intent on instilling hope to the membership by taking practical steps to address several of the challenges that are of concern to the United Nations. He focused on issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment, youth involvement in decision- making, financing for development, and climate change issues, among others. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

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