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In a recent disclosure to the press, Dr. Irfaan Ali, the President of Guyana, reported that a minimum of five European Union (EU) nations have consented to support Guyana’s pursuit of Schengen visa-free travel.
During a press interaction on the site of the under-construction four-lane highway from Eccles to Diamond, the Guyanese leader made the announcement.
“In terms of the removal of the visa, you have to have sponsoring countries, and I’m very pleased to tell you that we have at least five countries that have agreed to sponsor us to begin the process within the EU itself. But there’s a bigger issue that we have to address, and this is our passports and what is required for future traveling,” said President Ali.
A step towards global mobility: The need for enhanced passports in Guyana
Dr. Ali highlighted the importance of refining and enhancing Guyana’s passport in order for the nation to be prepared to attain Schengen visa-free travel.
He noted that biometrics and e-passports are vital for global travelers, adding that the country must urgently focus on overhauling its current system to enable a smoother process for travel and movement
 Visa processing efficiency: Guyana’s immediate goal
Apart from achieving visa-free travel status, President Ali also emphasized that Guyana strives towards more efficient processing of Schengen visas in the country itself. This need is immediate, he pointed out, and there have been firm commitments from “at least three countries that are willing to work with us on having this done”.
Moreover, President Ali mentioned that preliminary discussions on Schengen visa-free travel took place during his attendance at the European Union-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU-CELAC) Summit 2023. These conversations were furthered during bilateral meetings with the leaders of various EU nations.
Characterizing the Summit as “fantastic”, the Guyanese leader stated that his nation also demonstrated strong leadership in vital areas such as forests and climate change.
“We’re working hard to position the forests on the agenda at COP28 and to take global leadership on this. Guyana would be hosting a side event at COP28 with the UAE, and we’re hoping that the EU will be a partner with that also,” he added.
President Ali also shared that Guyana has obtained commitments from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) to be part of the program where Guyana will demonstrate its leadership in forest conservation and devise a strategy for forests to take a leading role in the climate change discourse.