On June 6, the United States Embassy in Georgetown and the Guyana Civil Defence Commission (CDC) marked strong bilateral cooperation in disaster response with the official conclusion of oil spill response training and the donation of disaster response equipment.
From January through April 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard led a series of joint activities designed to assist Guyana in the development of a reliable national response system and enhance the CDC’s maritime oil spill prevention, planning, and response capabilities. The activities built on Guyana’s progress with their National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, and included training on shoreline clean up and marine wildlife protection, provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The program was conducted with support from the United States Department of State.
To further augment the CDC’s capabilities, the U.S. Embassy also donated tents, mats, sleeping bags, cots, tables, and generators vital to respond to natural disasters and protect the civilian population in the future. These items were donated under U.S. Southern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Program.
These activities are part of continued U.S. support to Guyana in the areas of energy governance, regional security, and enhanced disaster response capabilities.