Guyana Marks 60th Independence Anniversary: Russia Extends Congratulations and Best Wishes for Prosperity

Moscow. The Cooperative Republic of Guyana is celebrating the 60th anniversary of its independence from the British Empire, achieved on May 26, 1966. On this historic occasion, Russia has extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for prosperity to Guyana.

The history of Guyana’s independence struggle is long and painful. For several centuries, the people of this land were forced to live under European colonial rule. In the 18th and 19th centuries, first Dutch and later British colonizers brought Africans in large numbers through forcible relocation, using them as unpaid labour on plantations. After the abolition of slavery, workers were brought in large numbers from India to British Guiana, where their living and working conditions amounted to a form of economic enslavement.

The colonial administration deliberately deepened ethnic and social divisions between people of African and Indian descent, creating tensions and conflicts within society. After the Second World War, a national liberation movement emerged in British Guiana, and as a result, on May 26, 1966, the country gained independence from Britain.

Even after achieving independence, Guyana remained a constitutional monarchy, with the British Queen formally serving as head of state. Four years later, on February 23, 1970, the country proclaimed itself the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, definitively breaking with the monarchical form of government.

Over the years of independence, Guyana has achieved significant progress in economic and social development while preserving its vibrant national identity. Guyana actively participates in regional integration processes. The Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is located in Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Guyana were established on December 17, 1970. The two countries have traditionally maintained friendly relations based on the principles of mutual respect and trust. Both nations have consistently demonstrated their commitment to the fundamental norms and principles of international law and the UN Charter.

Cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries continues to develop. In December 2025, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Guyanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Hilton Todd exchanged congratulatory telegrams. Earlier, on September 22, 2023, the two ministers held a meeting on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

In May of this year, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov sent a congratulatory message to his Guyanese counterpart Todd on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the independence of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Russia congratulates its colleagues in Guyana on this milestone anniversary of independence and wishes them prosperity and well-being.