Guyana and Jamaica are moving to deepen cooperation across several areas after signing a series of agreements aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.

The agreements were signed on Friday at State House in Georgetown, during Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ official visit to Guyana.

The agreements cover sectors including agriculture, defence and security, financial services, technology, housing and climate resilience.

The deals were signed by Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith.

A major focus of the partnership is agriculture, with both countries looking to improve food security and support regional efforts to reduce the Caribbean’s reliance on imported food.

The agriculture agreement will create opportunities for collaboration in areas such as training, innovation, education, trade and agricultural development, while supporting CARICOM’s “25 by 2025 Plus Five” initiative.

The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation on security, including information sharing, policy discussions and building capacity to address regional challenges.

Financial services was another key area of focus, with Guyana and Jamaica committing to work together on strengthening financial systems and improving institutional capacity.

Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali said the visit was focused on moving beyond discussions and identifying practical areas where both countries can work together.

He said the talks highlighted shared priorities in economic development, governance and transformation, with more agreements expected as cooperation expands.

Ali said Guyana is also looking to Jamaica’s experience in areas such as tourism and culture as the country develops its own tourism and creative industries.

The president also pointed to possible collaboration in energy, revealing that a working group will be established to explore opportunities that could benefit both nations and the wider Caribbean.

Housing, cybersecurity and technology were also discussed, with Ali noting potential partnerships between developers and financial institutions from both countries.

He said Guyana could also benefit from Jamaica’s experience in financial development as it explores initiatives such as a junior stock exchange.

Ali said the momentum generated by the visit demonstrates that implementation has already begun.  

“We believe that we have found a common path in many areas and look forward to a stronger, relentless, resilient and sustainable partnership with the government and people of Jamaica,” Ali stated.

Holness said the signed agreements represent only part of the broader discussions held during his visit.

“These are just what we could formalise within the time. The breadth of our exchanges and the potential of our collaboration and cooperation is extensive,” he stated.

Holness added that Guyana and Jamaica share similar views on strengthening governance and improving economic competitiveness, saying the relationship between the two countries has significant potential for further growth.