Guyana is moving to strengthen surveillance and security capabilities within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as it deepens strategic partnerships to safeguard key economic assets and its airspace.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, told reporters that the initiative includes collaboration with the United States to build out an integrated security infrastructure that will “better monitor and protect” Guyana’s economic zone.
“These systems are not inexpensive; they are very expensive,” the president said as he engaged reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the Guyana’s Revised Laws and Law Reports at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Monday.
Guyana’s EEZ is a 200-nautical-mile maritime area rich in oil and gas, with massive offshore oil developments, such as the Stabroek Block.
“We are seeing how we can form a partnership in building a system that can address the abuse of our exclusive economic zone,” the president added.
He highlighted that Guyana’s approach is grounded in a long history of military and security partnerships, which involve the transfer of knowledge, integration of assets, and broader institutional strengthening.
Guyana has also maintained strong partnerships with other nations, including the United Kingdom (UK), Brazil and Colombia.
“We’ll continue those partnerships that enhance our capability and capacity and that builds our ability to respond effectively to business,” President Ali said.
Such cooperation, the president underscored, is essential to enhancing Guyana’s national capacity and strengthening its ability to respond effectively to emerging security challenges.
In 2025, Venezuela intensified its threat to Guyana’s sovereignty with its patrol vessel, Guaiquerí (PO 11), operating within Guyana’s exclusive economic zone. This move has made Guyana’s security partnership with the US even more critical.
The head of state has made it clear that this model of collaboration is not unique to Guyana but reflects a wider regional trend among countries seeking to modernise their security frameworks.
President Ali also told reporters that negotiations surrounding these initiatives are currently being handled by legal teams, with proposals under active review.
Over the past years, Guyana and the US have engaged in discussions aimed at deepening bilateral defence cooperation. These include safeguarding Guyana’s territorial integrity and expanding joint efforts to confront transnational threats.
Earlier this month, President Ali signed on to the US-led “Shield of the Americas” Joint Security Declaration in Doral, Miami-Dade, Florida, committing to a coalition aimed at tackling transnational crime, drug cartels, and narco-terrorist networks in Latin America and the Caribbean.
And on Tuesday, President Ali met with US Special Envoy and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and a delegation to advance discussions on the “Shield of the Americas.”
Senior ministers of government and officers of the Joint Services were also part of the engagement.