Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy, underscored Guyana’s commitment to human development and national resilience at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, held at the Hilton Hotel Ballroom in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Sunday.
Minister McCoy outlined several major initiatives aimed at equipping citizens with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in an evolving economy. These include a national needs-based skills training programme facilitated through technical institutes across the country, as well as a strategic partnership with the global digital platform COURSERA.
He also highlighted the Women Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN), launched in 2021, which empowers women through skills training and entrepreneurial support. The programme offers access to a wide range of accredited courses and provides seed funding to help participants launch their ventures. As of September 2024, WIIN had trained over 12,000 women and disbursed tens of millions of dollars. In 2024, the initiative was expanded to include men, further broadening its impact.
In addition, the Small Business Bureau has significantly enhanced access to finance and training for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with the government guaranteeing 50 per cent of low-interest loans. Further support is being provided to facilitate the transition from informal to formal employment through targeted business registration drives and labour market reforms.
Minister McCoy’s presentation formed part of the Committee’s deliberations on a resolution titled “Parliamentary strategies to mitigate the long-lasting impact of conflicts, including armed conflicts, on sustainable development.”
Expressing strong support for the resolution, he emphasised its timeliness and relevance in today’s global context. He commended the focus on peace, dialogue, and inclusive governance as vital to sustainable development, and reiterated Guyana’s commitment to these principles.
A standout initiative he referenced was the Government of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS)—a pioneering framework that has enabled the country to generate revenue through the sale of carbon credits. These earnings have been equitably shared with 253 Indigenous communities, empowering them to implement their own village development projects.
Delegates from other member states echoed Minister McCoy’s sentiments, affirming the importance of sustained peace, inclusive governance, and coordinated support in advancing development goals. The resolution also calls for the protection of human rights, strengthened parliamentary oversight, enhanced cooperation with humanitarian and development partners, and the promotion of education in post-conflict settings.
The Committee’s discussions will contribute to the broader outcomes of the 150th IPU Assembly, which continues to serve as a vital platform for parliamentary diplomacy, cooperation, and collective action in addressing global challenges.
The Assembly is currently being held at the International Congress Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 4 to 9 April 2025.
