Guyana to receive migrants under new agreement with US

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Guyana and the United States have finalised a migration cooperation framework under which Guyana will receive a limited, vetted number of skilled and non-criminal individuals through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. The government said in a statement on Saturday that it retains full discretion to review and reject any individual proposed for relocation, while the United States will bear the full cost of the relocation process. It said it intends to accept only individuals who have chosen to relocate to Guyana voluntarily. Under the framework, the IOM will be responsible for the operational implementation of the programme, including the costs of receiving, housing and supporting individuals relocated to Guyana. The IOM will also provide services to support their integration, including access to communication with legal representatives and family members. The government said it will not bear the financial cost of the programme. It also stressed that the IOM will not assume, and the arrangement will not transfer to it, any of the Guyanese government’s responsibilities relating to admission, legal stay, protection or removal. The government said the arrangement reflects Guyana’s longstanding commitment to human rights and international cooperation. It said individuals relocated to Guyana must retain the right to seek international protection where applicable, with the IOM supporting referrals to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in coordination with the relevant Guyanese authorities. The framework also provides for regular, effective and sufficiently private access to communication with legal representatives and family members. The government said the arrangement is temporary and does not constitute permanent resettlement. Individuals relocated to Guyana under the programme will await the outcome of their immigration status determination while in the country. Depending on the outcome, they will either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere of their choosing, the government said. “Their presence in Guyana is governed by a set of pre-defined terms rather than open-ended residency,” it added. The government described the framework as the latest expression of the partnership between Guyana and the United States, which it said has expanded across energy, trade, investment, security and diplomatic cooperation under President Irfaan Ali’s administration. It said the arrangement reflects the strength of the bilateral relationship and Guyana’s standing as a “trusted and constructive partner” to the United States in the region. The Guyanese government said it will continue working with the IOM, UNHCR and relevant domestic stakeholders to ensure the framework is implemented in accordance with Guyana’s laws, its human rights obligations and national development priorities.