Agri and Health pacts sealed between Guyana and Suriname

MINISTERS FRANK ANTHONY AND ZULFIKAR MUSTAPHA INKED RESPECTIVE
COOPERATION AGREEMENTS with the Surinamese counterparts at the end of an official visit
by a delegation from the Dutch-speaking CARICOM-state led by its President Mr. Chandrikapersad
Santokhi.

Minister of Agriculture, Mustapha, and Suriname’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and
Fisheries, Parmanand Sewdien, signed the ‘Protocol concerning the Trade in Fresh Agricultural
Produce’.

The terms and conditions of the agri pact focus on commercial shipments of agricultural produce. The
accord also established the guidelines for production, storage and shipment of agriculture produce to
both countries.

The two sides also committed themselves to respecting the international obligations, standards and
guidelines in the production, certification, processing, packaging, storing and transporting of
agricultural produce between themselves.

Under the agri agreement Guyana and Suriname also pledged to help each other access new markets
for their agricultural produce. While Guyana is to benefit from Suriname’s access to the European
market, Suriname will gain from this country’s access to the lucrative North American market.

Health Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (ag.) Dr. Frank Anthony, and Suriname’s Minister of
Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation, Albert Ramdin signed
the ‘Agreement on the establishment of services in the field of healthcare’.

The two sides have pledged to strengthen strategic collaboration and provide effective capacity
building for healthcare personnel and specialty treatment for patients.

The Ministries will also develop joint programmes, especially in professional healthcare and public
health services, disease control, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, pharmaceutical services and
research, according to the terms of the agreement.

They will coordinate efforts with cross-border diagnostics in COVID-19; undertake contact tracing
and quarantining; developing a risk-communications strategy; promote COVID-19 awareness and
elevate COVID-19 vaccination awareness in Guyana and Suriname.

Under the health pact, the two Caricom countries will also cooperate and share experiences in the
COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

These two agreements form part of a wider network of mutual efforts to help improve the lives
of Guyanese and Surinamese.