Guyana and its Portuguese-speaking neighbour have agreed to enhance work together in the area of security with focus on strengthening capacity as well as intelligence sharing to boost border safety.
Additionally, the two South American nations signed bilateral treaties for international legal cooperation in civil matters as well as mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
These important pacts were entered into today following a high-level State visit by Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro to Guyana.
During the one-day State visit, the two neighbouring Heads of State and their respective delegations had extensive discussions on a number of areas including security.
According to Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali, the security talks focused on hardware and software technology as well as building and strengthening human resource capacity.
“We will be working, coordinating efforts in these three areas in terms of security and defence, hardware and software technology which includes intelligence sharing, and a master plan that supports the security architecture of both countries and our shared responsibilities and shared challenges and looking at ways in which we can deploy technology in joint approach in securing our borders,” President Ali explained.
The Guyanese leader made this remark following the signing of two bilateral agreements between Guyana and Brazil that will see the countries collaborating on seizure and disposal or exchange of assets during criminal investigations and prosecution.
The first treaty deals with mutual mutual legal cooperation on criminal matters. “In accordance with the provisions of the treaty, the parties shall provide mutual assistance in connection with investigation or prosecution of criminal offences including the restraint seizure or confiscation, as well as disposal and return of the assets,” it was explained.
The second treaty deals with mutual legal cooperation on civil matters. “In accordance with the provisions of the treaty, on mutual legal assistance in civil matters, the parties mutually agree to provide full legal cooperation in civil matters which involves civil, cooperate, labour and administrative law as well as criminal sentences which seek compensation for damages in the civil courts,” it was also noted.
