The Strategic Dialogue of the Guiana Shield Aims to Enhance Common Security

From August 25 to 27, 2021, the first Strategic Dialogue of the Guiana Shield took place among Guyana, Suriname, and France. Hosted by the Armed Forces in French Guiana (FAG) and led by the General Directorate of International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS), this initial dialogue allowed for an improved understanding of common issues among these three countries (illicit trafficking, illegal gold mining, IUU fishing, etc.) in order to strengthen their defense relationship.

Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana make up the majority of what is commonly referred to as the “Guiana Shield.” Its geographical position, at the crossroads of three strategic areas (Amazon, Caribbean, and Europe), makes it a natural transit space for drugs produced in Latin America, which often pass through Venezuela before being transported to North America, Africa, and Europe. This region is also characterized by the presence of abundant natural resources that attract the interest of malicious state and non-state actors. Finally, climate change will have a decisive impact on the Guiana area, with serious security implications.

All these facts, risks, and threats were discussed during this trilateral dialogue. Presentations particularly focused on protecting the integrity of national territories and spaces; combating illegal gold extraction and illicit trafficking; and the security consequences of climate change.

The emergence of a common strategic framework was necessary to structure the intensification of military cooperation among the three countries. Two recent examples illustrate this cooperation: the resumption of joint patrols on the Maroni River with Suriname, demonstrating mutual presence in a border area known for multiple trafficking, and the participation of the French Armed Forces in Exercise Tradewinds 2021 in Guyana.

This first Strategic Dialogue of the Guiana Shield provided the three countries with opportunities to deepen their defense relations.

The delegations from Suriname and Guyana were led, respectively, by Defense Minister Krishnakoemarie Mathoera and Prime Minister Brigadier General Mark Phillips. The interior ministers of both countries and the Chiefs of Defense Staff or their representatives were also present.

The French delegation, for its part, included the commander of the Joint Force of the Armed Forces in French Guiana, Major General Xavier Buisson, the Head of the International Security Affairs Department of the DGRIS (Brigadier General Régis Colcombet), and Antoine Joly, Ambassador of France to Suriname and Guyana.

Air Division General Xavier Buisson
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of French Guiana
Collaboration for AthenaLab

September 29, 2021