By Isaiah Braithwaite
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – Former member of parliament, Charrandass Persaud on Thursday presented his credentials to His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind, president of India, as Guyana’s new High Commissioner. The ceremony was held at India’s ministry of external affairs.
Kamlesh Shashi Prakash, High Commissioner of the Republic of Fiji, H.E. David Emmanuel Puig Buchel, ambassador of the Dominican Republic, and H.E. Farid Mamundzay, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, also presented their credentials. These envoys were sworn in virtually.
President Kovind said India enjoys warm and friendly relations with the countries as their ties are deeply rooted in a common vision of peace and prosperity. The president also extended his gratitude to the countries for supporting India’s candidature for the non-permanent seat of UN Security Council for the term 2021-22, a press release said.
Additionally, the president said India has been at the forefront of global efforts to forge a decisive and coordinated response to COVID-19. He said under the government’s vaccine Maitri Initiative, highly affordable vaccines made in India and have already been distributed to several countries worldwide.
To this end, the ambassadors and High Commissioners expressed gratitude to India for supplying their countries with quantities of the vaccine. To date, Guyana has received from India a donation of 80,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine COVISHIELD, which were made in India.
India was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Guyana after it gained independence on May 26, 1966.