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	USAID Information: USAID Country Page More Stories From Guyana FY 2006 Congressional Budget Justification Selected Reports from the USAID Document Database External Links: U.S. State Department CIA World Factbook United Nations Development Programme World Bank Group
	CBJ FY 05 Home Page Glossary Abbreviations and Acronyms Previous Years' Activities 2004 2003 2002 2001 Get Acrobat Reader...

Guyana

The Development Challenge: Guyana’s development continues to be impeded by ethnic and political polarization. This polarization negatively affects almost every sphere of national life and periodically leads to government paralysis as it did during the minority party’s boycott of parliament from February 2002 to May 2003. While the two dominant parties have since agreed on a broad range of constitutional reforms that could have a positive influence in democratization and restoration of the economy, the government has moved slowly to implement these reforms. Guyana currently faces a declining economy, a high level of debt, rising crime, social malaise, continued out-migration of skilled workers, narcotics trafficking, and a generalized HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 2002, Guyana’s external debt was $1.2 billion. It is one of the Hemisphere’s poorest countries, with a per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of $797 in 2002. Roughly 35 percent of the population lives below the poverty level. Guyana also has one of the lowest indicators of health status among Caribbean countries. Maternal mortality is 190 per 100,000 live births; infant mortality is 54 per 1000. The United States has several foreign policy interests in Guyana, given Guyana’s geographic proximity to the United States, its participation in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Third Border Initiative, and the large expatriate Guyanese community living in the United States. The United States has a vested interest in democracy and human rights, regional stability and economic growth, stemming the flow of narcotics and illegal immigrants into the U.S, as well as a humanitarian and strategic concern for Guyana’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Please note: All documents are in pdf format 504-005: Reduced Impact of HIV/AIDS 504-006: Democratic Governance Consolidated 504-007: Environment for Sustained Growth of Value-Added Exports Program Summary Tables Complete USAID/Guyana Program

The USAID Program: The Data Sheets provided below cover the three objectives for which USAID is requesting FY 2004 and FY 2005 funds. In FY 2004, USAID will begin implementing a new five-year Country Strategic Plan (FY 2004 - FY 2008). This strategic plan builds upon past program accomplishments. USAID's development program addresses Guyana’s most pressing development challenges and concentrate on institutional changes that reduce the threat of HIV/AIDS, foster continued democratic reform, and create economic prosperity. FY 2004 funds will be used to implement programs of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, conflict resolution, anti-corruption and transparency, civil society and citizen participation, trade related policy reform, private sector export development. Guyana is a HIV/AIDS focus country under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief; it is anticipated that additional funds will be avilable to expand the HIV/AIDS program, especially treatment and care support services.

Other Program Elements: USAID’s Housing and Urban Development Office, under the Making Cities Work Program, conducts a visitor exchange program between Guyana’s second largest city, New Amsterdam and Huntsville, Texas. Management and technical teams from Huntsville provide Guyanese officials with invaluable insights on management and administration issues as well as citizens’ involvement in municipal affairs. USAID, through the Partners of the Americas' program, supports a Guyana Dairy Development Program which provides technical assistance and training to strengthen Guyana's dairy industry and increase the nutritional level of children in Guyana. Additionally, the local Partners of the Americas chapter is engaged in a "Farmer to Farmer" program under which fruit and vegetable husbandry and aquaculture projects are being implemented. The USAID centrally-funded Environment Program supports the creation of Guyana's first protected area in the Kanuku Mountain region. USAID centrally-funded program also funds the Microenterprise Training Services Market Initiative. This pilot project will test and demonstrate the feasibility of establishing a sustainable market for training services to microenterprises.

Other Donors: Donor coordination is exemplary. As one of the major donors in Guyana, USAID participates regularly in donor fora and provides leadership and policy input on democratic, economic, and social reforms. USAID's implementing partners work closely with other agencies in coordinating project activities. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada are Guyana’s largest bilateral partners, respectively, and work in the same sectors as USAID. Other bilateral donors include Germany (environment) and Japan (HIV/AIDS and assistance to NGOs). Multilateral donors include the Inter- American Development Bank (public sector reform), the European Union (infrastructure, micro-projects and civil society capacity building), the World Bank (accountability in the public sector), and the United Nations Development Program (governance and conflict resolution, and the environment).

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