1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a meeting on March 18 with Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Hilton Todd, who visited Korea to participate in the Ministerial Conference of the 3rd Summit for Democracy, held from March 18 to 20. The discussions during the meeting encompassed a comprehensive array of topics, reflecting the multifaceted nature of Korea-Guyana relations, including bilateral cooperation, cooperation on the international stage, Korean Peninsula affairs, and the reinforcement of cooperation between Korea and the Caribbean region.

2. Both Foreign Ministers appreciated the expanding scope of cooperation between the two countries across various sectors including development cooperation, forestry, and agriculture, and expressed a shared commitment to further advance and expand cooperation in these respective fields.

3. Furthermore, the Foreign Ministers agreed that as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in 2024-2025, Korea and Guyana will contribute to the UN Security Council’s constructive responsibility in maintaining international peace and security. Foreign Minister Cho also suggested close cooperation between Korea and Guyana on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula in the international arena, including the UN Security Council.

4. Foreign Minister Cho commended the efforts of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Guyana to ensure public safety in Haiti. He reiterated Korea's willingness to diversify its cooperation with CARICOM and contribute to resolving key issues in the region through various efforts such as the expansion of the Korea-CARICOM Cooperation Fund. Foreign Minister Todd expressed appreciation for Korea's efforts and suggested that Korea and Guyana continue to work together to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean region.

※ CARICOM is an intergovernmental organization with the goal of promoting economic integration and cooperation in a unified Caribbean Community consisting of 15 member states (14 Caribbean nations and 1 dependency) and 5 associate members (5 dependencies).

5. The meeting helped strengthen the commitment of Korea and Guyana to promote bilateral cooperation and emphasized their joint resolve to cooperate effectively as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

6. Moreover, the meeting served as an opportunity to strengthen the partnership with Guyana, the chair of CARICOM for the first half of this year. This strengthening of partnership builds upon the momentum generated last year, notably through Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s attendance at the 45th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government in Trinidad and Tobago in July and the 13th High-Level Forum on the Korea-Caribbean Partnership in Korea in October.