Guyana is uniquely positioned to turn migration into a real force for development, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope said during a visit to the country this week to discuss strengthening support for migration management.
Pope’s visit comes as Guyana’s economy expands rapidly, with real GDP growing 19.3 per cent in 2025, according to the Bank of Guyana, driven by growth in the energy, construction and healthcare sectors, among others. This has created strong demand for workers that outpaces the domestic labour supply.
At the same time, significant numbers of Guyanese have migrated abroad, representing a potential pool of skills, resources and connections the country could draw on, IOM said. Combined with workers from CARICOM and the wider region, this presents an opportunity for Guyana to address labour shortages while continuing to upskill its local workforce and build a migration system that protects the rights of migrants and host communities.
“Migration has always been part of Guyana’s development story,” Pope said, adding that when managed well, it creates opportunities for local communities, returning Guyanese and migrants from the region and beyond. She said IOM was committed to helping the Government build practical solutions for a broad cross-section of Guyanese society.
During her trip, Pope met with five Government ministers, reflecting migration’s reach across multiple sectors, as well as with migrants and IOM staff working across Guyana and the Caribbean.
Pope also met with the CARICOM Secretariat, which is headquartered in Guyana. As coordinator of the UN Network on Migration, IOM has been providing technical support to CARICOM in developing a regional migration governance framework to help countries address shared and country-specific migration and labour challenges, including adapting to climate change and shrinking productive populations while sustaining economic growth.
IOM has worked in Guyana since 2009, supporting the Government’s efforts to strengthen migration management in line with its development goals and its commitment to safe, orderly and regular migration.
