Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, has called for stronger trade and investment between Guyana and Brazil, urging the newly established Brazil Chamber of Commerce (Guyana) Inc. to help transform longstanding diplomatic relations and economic opportunities into tangible benefits for both countries.
Delivering remarks at the Chamber’s official launch on Wednesday at the National Library Conference Room in Georgetown, Prime Minister Phillips emphasised that while Guyana and Brazil have maintained strong bilateral relations, their commercial engagement has not yet reached its full potential.
He noted that despite Brazil’s position as South America’s largest economy, its shared border with Guyana and the opportunities available to both countries, trade and investment remain relatively limited. Citing figures from the Bureau of Statistics, the Prime Minister pointed out that Brazil accounted for approximately 3.2 per cent of Guyana’s exports and 2.9 per cent of its imports in 2025, underscoring the significant room for expanding bilateral commerce.
Against this background, he highlighted the important role the newly established Chamber could play in strengthening commercial relationships, attracting investment and addressing barriers affecting trade.
“The Chamber can become a meeting point for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, investors, exporters and service providers. It can help businesses identify partners, understand regulatory requirements, navigate differences in business culture, establish reliable supply chains and translate commercial conversations into investment decisions.”
Prime Minister Phillips encouraged the Chamber to pursue a practical agenda involving sector-specific trade missions, business-to-business engagements and investment matchmaking, while working with relevant government agencies to identify trade barriers and develop workable solutions.
He also urged the organisation to establish measurable objectives for expanding bilateral trade, attracting investment and increasing the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Highlighting Guyana’s economic potential, the Prime Minister identified agriculture, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure and logistics as priority areas for deeper cooperation with Brazil. He noted that Guyana’s expanding economy and strategic geographical position present opportunities for Brazilian businesses to establish regional operations, develop distribution networks and explore access to Caribbean and wider international markets.
In agriculture, he pointed to opportunities for cooperation in technology transfer, livestock development, mechanisation, agricultural research and agro-processing. He also referenced the proposed Science, Technology and Innovation Hub involving Brazil’s agricultural research institution, EMBRAPA, as a potential means of improving agricultural productivity and competitiveness.
On energy, Prime Minister Phillips highlighted opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy, electricity infrastructure and technical expertise. He also identified Guyana’s proposed ammonia and urea fertiliser plant at Wales as a possible avenue for future commercial engagement with Brazil’s agricultural sector.
Turning to infrastructure and connectivity, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of strengthening transportation and logistics links to facilitate greater movement of goods and people between the neighbouring countries.
“The Takutu River Bridge has provided an important physical link between Guyana and Brazil. The development of the Linden–Lethem corridor, together with improvements to roads, logistics and port facilities, can strengthen that connection and facilitate the movement of goods between northern Brazil, Guyana and Caribbean markets.”
He also welcomed the announcement of international bus routes linking Georgetown and Lethem with Brazilian destinations, highlighting the potential for improved passenger transportation to stimulate tourism, trade missions, business travel and cultural exchange.
Additionally, Prime Minister Phillips pointed to Guyana’s ambition to develop deep-water port capacity, which could create opportunities for Brazilian exporters and importers seeking access to Caribbean and Atlantic markets.
He emphasised that improving physical connectivity must be complemented by stronger commercial relationships and practical measures to address challenges such as language differences and unfamiliarity with business requirements.
The Honouable Prime Minister stressed that the organisation’s success must ultimately be measured by its contribution to economic activity and the creation of opportunities for businesses and citizens. “We must judge our success by the businesses established, the investments realised, the jobs created and the goods exchanged.”
Prime Minister Phillips reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to strengthening its commercial relationship with Brazil, encouraging businesses in both countries to explore opportunities for trade, investment and productive partnerships.
He congratulated the leadership of the Brazil Chamber of Commerce (Guyana) Inc. on its establishment and expressed hope that the organisation would become an effective platform for bringing the two business communities together and transforming their longstanding relationship into sustained economic gains.
