Guyanese president named Goodwill Ambassador for tropical rain forests

Leaders of the Amazonian, Congo and Borneo-Mekong forests have named Guyanese President President Bharrat Jagdeo as the world's first Goodwill Ambassador for tropical rain forest.

The part-time position will take effect when Jagdeo leaves office. The honour is in recognition of Jagdeo's global leadership on forest and climate change issues.

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Dennis Sasso Nguesso, nominated Jagdeo for the post during the Heads of States and Government conference on the three tropical forest basins of the world, which was held in that African country.

Delegates at the meeting, which was aimed at sharing solutions to save forests and support the fight against the devastating consequences of climate change, praised Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and recognised Guyana's efforts in the international arena to combat climate change.

In a related development Guyana and the Congo have signed a five-year agreement to increase cooperation between the two countries in the field of forestry and wood industries. The two countries will establish and develop cooperation to address sustainable forest management and the enhancement and development of processed wood and wood-based construction industries.

The bilateral cooperation in the technical, industrial and managerial aspect of the forest industry will significantly enhance the development of the two countries.

Other initiatives will include: exchange visits by delegations from the two countries; exchange of information on science and technology relating to forest, tree seedlings, genetic material and other forest resources; participation of group studies and human resource training; collaboration in research and production and joint surveys; trading in timber and other forestry products; and the training of technicians and other experts in forestry-related disciplines.