Guyana and Belize don just sign one big agreement wey go last for five years. The agreement na to protect their forests and find better ways to sell carbon credits. This one na serious matter because both countries get plenty forest wey dey important for the whole world.
The signing happen for Ramphal House inside Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The people wey sign na Hugh Todd, Guyana Foreign Affairs Minister, and Orlando Habet, Belize Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change. George Talbot, Guyana Ambassador to CARICOM, talk say the agreement go help both countries work together for sustainable forest management.
“We go dey share technology and expertise,” Talbot yarn. “We go dey work on joint conservation projects and support measurement, reporting and verification initiatives.” The agreement also go include carbon market opportunities. Guyana already don sell carbon credits worth more than US$1 million, so this partnership fit help Belize learn from their experience.
Minister Todd talk say Belize forest cover dey around 70 to 75 percent while Guyana own dey about 85 percent. “We dey bring two sections of the Western Hemisphere together,” Todd explain. “We dey bring Central America and South America together.” Even though Guyana dey produce oil and gas now, Todd insist say his country go remain leader for environmental preservation.
The agreement dey in line with the Global Biodiversity Alliance, one initiative wey Guyana lead. The alliance dey look for money and expertise to preserve environment. For Belize side, Minister Habet talk say the idea for this cooperation start when one Belizean official meet one Guyanese during fellowship program by University of the West Indies.
“This one show say single fellowship fit spark collaboration,” Habet talk. “Conversation fit turn to cooperation, and cooperation fit become partnership wey go benefit whole nations.” Habet don tell CARICOM meeting say member states with rich biodiversity need to look at the value of their natural assets.
Guyana government dey already allocate portion of carbon credit earnings to Amerindian communities. The communities dey use the money for projects wey they plan themselves. This new agreement with Belize go also promote community engagement and respect traditional knowledge.
The technical cooperation go include monitoring, surveillance, disaster preparedness and research efforts. Both countries go implement everything according to their national laws. They go appoint contact persons and may establish technical working group.
This agreement come at time when United States dey push for Double Taxation Treaty with Guyana. US Ambassador Nicole Theriot talk say American companies no want pay tax for both countries. She mention say Guyana Revenue Authority dey sometimes difficult for foreign companies to navigate.
President Irfaan Ali don already instruct say Guyana laws need reform because foreign investors dey complain. The president talk say investment portfolio for Guyana don change and laws need update. This forest agreement with Belize show say Guyana still serious about environmental matters despite their oil production.
The five-year pact go help both countries protect their forests while exploring economic opportunities through carbon credits. As climate change concerns dey increase worldwide, this kind of cooperation between developing countries dey become more important. The agreement go remain in force for five years first, but both sides fit extend am if they want.
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