GLOBAL GATEWAY

Global Gateway in Guyana: building a greener, smarter and healthier future together

Guyana is at a defining moment in its development. The European Union has been a committed development partner to Guyana for decades, well before the rapid economic growth of recent years. With strong economic momentum, exceptional natural wealth and growing regional ambition, the country has a unique opportunity to shape a future that is prosperous, sustainable and inclusive. The European Union wants to be a partner in that journey.

Global Gateway (https://commission.europa.eu/topics/international-partnerships/global-gateway_en)  is the EU’s way of investing in long-term partnerships that deliver real impact. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it aims to unlock investment, strengthen institutions, promote innovation and create opportunities for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. The broader EU cooperation framework is guided by the “2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement”, while the Global Gateway Investment Agenda for the region is designed to help “unlock investments for the green, digital, and fair transitions” 

For Guyana, this partnership is closely aligned with national priorities, including the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. The EU has identified Guyana as a country of strategic importance, with investment opportunities in added-value forestry, the health sector, water management and renewable energy. Across these priorities, one message is clear: lasting progress depends on working together — governments, development partners, financial institutions, researchers and the private sector all have a role to play.

Private sector engagement: turning growth into lasting prosperity

Private sector engagement is a central part of the Global Gateway approach, because lasting investment happens when public priorities are matched by private initiative, innovation and business partnerships. In Guyana, this is particularly important at a time of rapid economic growth, when the challenge is not only to attract investment, but to ensure that it supports diversification, technology transfer and long-term value creation.

A key instrument in this effort is our Global Gateway facility, a regional facility designed to turn Global Gateway priorities into practical cooperation and investment opportunities. The facility, armed with five key experts, will provide technical advice, and actively connect institutions, businesses and investors from the EU and Guyana around concrete opportunities for partnership.

A major focus of the facility is the organisation of investment missions, trade missions and global gateway technical exchanges, which are especially valuable in exposing public and private sector stakeholders to new technologies, European expertise, innovative business models and potential investment partners. These missions allow Guyanese counterparts to engage directly with European companies and institutions, while also creating opportunities for European actors to better understand local markets and opportunities on the ground.

Beyond missions and matchmaking, the facility will provide policy and institutional support, including studies, recommendations, regulatory and investment framework support, and public-private dialogue. It will also strengthen local capacity through trainings, workshops, forums, technical exchanges and awareness campaigns.

Forests: protecting a global asset while creating sustainable opportunity

Guyana’s forests are one of its greatest strengths. They are vital for biodiversity, climate stability and local livelihoods. This is why forest cooperation is a central pillar of EU engagement.

The EU supports Guyana through the Amazon Basin Team Europe Initiative and the “Joint Team Europe Initiative for Guyana and Suriname – Forest Governance”. This cooperation is about more than conservation alone. It is about helping forests contribute to sustainable livelihoods, stronger governance and long-term green growth. In a world facing climate and biodiversity crises, Guyana’s leadership in forest stewardship matters far beyond its borders.

Digital and connectivity: preparing Guyana for the future

A modern economy needs strong digital foundations. Digital transformation can improve public services, support innovation, connect communities and make growth more inclusive. Global Gateway’s wider regional approach supports the transitions that will define the future, including the digital transition.

As a member of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance (https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/eu-latin-america-and-caribbean-digital-alliance_en) , Guyana is part of a wider bi-regional effort to promote a digital transition that is secure, inclusive and human-centred, while opening new opportunities for innovation, investment and better public services. For Guyana, this is especially important at a time when the country is expanding rapidly and looking to ensure that growth is matched by stronger institutions, improved connectivity and modern digital systems.

Through this partnership, Guyana is already benefiting from technical assistance in support of its digital transformation. This includes cooperation on the review of key legislative and regulatory frameworks, helping to create the enabling conditions for a modern, trusted and effective digital environment. Strong digital governance matters because it helps improve public services, builds confidence in new technologies and supports an ecosystem in which citizens, businesses and institutions can all benefit from digital progress.

Digital cooperation with Guyana also goes beyond legislation and policy. The EU is exploring opportunities to deepen collaboration on Earth observation and space-based services through Copernicus, (https://www.copernicus.eu/en)  the European Union’s flagship programme for satellite-based data and monitoring. 

Health and pharmaceuticals: supporting Guyana’s regional ambition

Health is emerging as one of the most dynamic and strategic areas of cooperation between Guyana and the European Union. Under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, Team Europe is supporting Guyana’s ambition not only to strengthen its healthcare system, but also to position itself as a stronger regional player in pharmaceuticals, life sciences and medical innovation. This is a partnership that looks well beyond immediate needs. It is about helping Guyana build the institutions, skills, regulatory systems and international connections needed for a health sector that is more resilient, more modern and better prepared for the future.

At the centre of this effort is an EU investment of EUR 8.9 million for the development and manufacturing of health products. This support reflects a broader vision of strengthening health sovereignty in the Caribbean while helping Guyana expand its own capacity and expertise. In practical terms, the partnership addresses several parts of the health ecosystem at once, from frontline healthcare delivery to regulation, research, skills development and technology transfer.

One of the most important components is the Strengthening of Healthcare Delivery in Guyana programme. Through this initiative, the EU is supporting the training of doctors, nurses and hospital managers, recognising that strong human resources are at the heart of any effective health system. The programme also helps strengthen clinical training and research, which are essential for improving quality of care and building a stronger national knowledge base. Support is also being provided to advance organ transplantation services, an area of highly specialised care that can significantly improve treatment options for patients. 

At the same time, the European Union is helping Guyana strengthen its pharmaceutical regulatory environment, which is a key foundation for a trustworthy and effective health system. Support is being provided to help Guyana’s regulatory agency progress toward maturity level 3, in partnership with the International Development Cooperation Agency of Lithuania. This work is important not only from a technical perspective, but also strategically, because stronger regulation can help improve oversight, reinforce quality standards and create a stronger platform for future development in the pharmaceutical sector.

The partnership also looks beyond healthcare delivery and regulation to the broader innovation ecosystem. Through cooperation with the award-winning Biopark of Charleroi, the EU is supporting skills development, research collaboration and technology transfer in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and life sciences. This creates opportunities for Guyanese institutions and professionals to connect with international expertise, deepen scientific cooperation and strengthen the capabilities needed to participate in more advanced areas of health and biomedical innovation.

What makes this cooperation especially significant is that it combines immediate practical benefits with a longer-term strategic vision. It is helping improve healthcare services today, while also laying the groundwork for Guyana to become a future regional hub for health and innovation. By investing in people, institutions, regulation, research and partnerships, the European Union is supporting Guyana in building a health ecosystem that is not only stronger and more responsive, but also more ambitious in its regional role. 

EU supports Guyana's efforts towards sustainable and transparent forest governance.

The European Union is supporting Guyana's efforts to enhance sustainable and transparent forest governance. This support is being provided through the implementation of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).

With EU funding, Guyana is advancing the development of its Timber Legality Assurance System (GTLAS), which aims to improve transparency and accountability throughout the timber supply chain. This assistance includes the development of a digital wood-tracking system, capacity building for institutions in the forest sector, and improved monitoring of VPA implementation.

The EU is also working to strengthen stakeholder participation by supporting the National Toshaos Council, ensuring that Indigenous communities are actively involved in forest governance processes. Additionally, awareness-raising activities and technical assistance are being provided to help forestry operators and public institutions meet legal and sustainability requirements.

These efforts are being implemented in partnership with organizations such as the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the French Development Agency (AFD), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Together, these actions contribute to Guyana's and the EU's ambitions for green development and support the legal, sustainable, and inclusive management of the country's forest resources.

Why working together matters

Global Gateway is built on partnership. It recognises that no single institution can deliver transformation alone. Public authorities, development institutions, researchers, entrepreneurs and private investors all need to be part of the effort.

In Guyana, this cooperative approach is especially important. Whether the focus is forests, digital transformation, health or private sector development, success depends on connecting ideas, financing, expertise and people. That is how investment becomes impact. That is how growth becomes inclusive. And that is how partnership becomes progress.