Guyana was the only Caribbean country that participated in the 2012 Doha Forum

DEAR EDITOR,
A significant event took place a few months ago that made no news in Guyana, and that was the elevation of Guyana’s image and presence in the Persian Gulf region and amongst the 84 countries that participated in the Doha Forum.
Guyana’s Middle East Envoy, George Hallaq, represented Guyana at this year’s Doha Forum that was held in May in the Qatari capital.  Earlier in the year, in February, Hallaq was in Doha to deliver a letter to Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar from Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar.
Besides using the forum to expand Guyana/Qatar bilateral ties, Hallaq used the occasion to court the private sector to participate in the first Caribbean Gulf Forum to be held in Guyana this coming November.
The international guests of honour in this year’s Doha Forum included President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka and former President of Senegal and current Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Abdou Diouf.  The Doha Forum 2012 was the 12th edition of this Forum and took place in the presence of Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.
The Forum was organized by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attended by more than 610 participants representing 84 countries and organizations, and featured very high-profile personalities, eminent political leaders, decision-makers and members of parliament, renowned businessmen, academics, media figures and experts, as well as representatives of the civil society and regional and international organizations.
Guyana was the only Caribbean country that participated in the event.
Raymond Chickrie