GUYANA - The French naval vessel FS LA CONFIANCE sailed into Georgetown’s harbour last Sunday marking the start of a three-day official port call aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Guyana and France.
According to the Guyana Defense Force (GDF), the vessel arrived at the GuySuCo Wharf where it was met with a formal reception party comprising representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Harbour Master’s Office, the Ministry of Public Health, the French Attaché, and the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard.
Commanded by Lieutenant Commander François Bichon, FS LA CONFIANCE carries a complement of 27 military personnel, including six officers, 17 petty officers, and four seamen. During its stay in Georgetown until Wednesday, July 16, the crew will participate in a robust programme of military engagement, cultural exchange, and goodwill activities.
Highlights include courtesy calls, such as a scheduled visit to the Chief of Defense Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, familiarization tours with GDF Coast Guard members aboard the vessel, and visits to key landmarks across Georgetown. The FS LA CONFIANCE, a 61-metre offshore patrol vessel with a gross tonnage of 720, operates in the Caribbean as part of France’s regional maritime security framework. Its visit to Guyana serves not only as a gesture of goodwill but also as a testament to the deepening defense and diplomatic ties between the two nations. The vessel is scheduled to depart the Coast Guard Wharf on Wednesday evening, before exiting Guyana’s territorial waters shortly thereafter. (Kaieteur News)
