Guyana will intensify bilateral economic and technical cooperation with Brazil this year through a number of activities scheduled to take place between the two countries.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation, along with the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) it will facilitate the visit of a team of officials from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) from 13 to 19 August. The team will be seeking to identify priorities for technical cooperation and technology transfer in the area of agriculture.

The two agencies, NARI and EMBRAPA, will also endeavour to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a framework for cooperation in science and technology by undertaking joint projects with the aim of improving the knowledge base for the sustainable development of agriculture and for institutional strengthening.

Following this visit, the release said, the ministry will co-host with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) and the CARICOM Secretariat a workshop on conceptualisation and preparation of technical cooperation project proposals. The objective of this seminar is to improve functional cooperation between member states of the Caribbean Community and the Government of Brazil.

The ministry, furthermore, will later on convene a seminar on 'Doing Business with Brazil' at which issues such as the intensification of trade links and land, air and sea routes between the two countries will be addressed.

Besides these activities, the release stated that the ministry intended to expedite the conclusion of the proposed Guyana-Brazil Border Land Cargo Transport Agreement to put in place formal arrangements for the movement of goods and vehicles across the border.

It will also provide support to the Ministry of Health with respect to streamlining border health concerns, particularly access to medical care by residents on either side of the border and monitoring infectious diseases. Efforts will be made to take advantage of Brazil's strengths in the management of HIV/AIDS, now recognized worldwide as having some of the "best practices" for dealing with this disease, the release added.