Guyana today concluded a two-day
presentation of reports and responses to questions posed in the context of
Guyana’s Fourth Trade Policy Review (TPR) by the World Trade Organization’s
(WTO) Secretariat. Guyana’s Delegation in Georgetown was led by the Honourable
Deodat Indar M.P. Minister within the Ministry of Public Works. Guyana’s
Delegation in Geneva, was represented by Ms. Kerrlene Wills Charge d’Affaires
a.i. at the Permanent Mission of Guyana, Geneva.
The questions were posed by 19
WTO Members and comments were made by the ACP, CARICOM, OECS, and African
Groups in Geneva. These questions related to the oil and gas sector, the Local
Content legislation, Low Carbon Development Strategy, Services Sector,
mainstreaming Gender in trade, Natural Resources fund, and notification obligations
to the WTO.
Guyana was commended for the in-depth
information that it provided regarding its new oil and gas industry, local
content legislation, and future trade policy plans. Guyana’s Geneva Mission was
also commended for its active participation in negotiations at the WTO
Negotiating Group on Rules: Fisheries Subsidies and in discussions on trade and
health, and Members noted the leadership of the Geneva Mission in steering the
discussions. Members continued to encourage its participation on matters
related to Investment Facilitation and Trade and Environment.
In formally concluding the TPR,
Guyana is now expected to provide written answers to the almost 200 additional
questions received so far.
The TPR is an integral part of
the multilateral trading system in the WTO and is administered under the Trade
Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). Guyana is required to undergo a review every
six years.
