Guyana to pursue exemption as US imposes 12.5% tariff on exports – Foreign Secretary

See full statement from Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Robert Persaud:

Guyana has taken note of the tariff action announced this week by the Office of the United States Trade Representative. This measure does not represent a new or additional burden on Guyanese exporters. It replaces the 10% global tariff that expired under Section 122 of the Trade Act on July 24 and follows a broader trajectory–a 38% rate announced in April 2025, down to 15%, and now to 12.5%.

It is important that this action be understood in its proper context. It arises from a domestic US legal and policy process, following the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year on the limits of executive tariff authority. It applies to 60 U.S. trading partners across every region of the world, such as Canada, the European Union, Trinidad and Tobago, India, and Venezuela, among others. It is not a judgment on Guyana, and Guyana was neither singled out nor treated differently from dozens of other economies navigating the same recalibration. In fact, 16 countries will face continued investigations, of which Guyana is not a part.

Guyana remains firmly committed to its partnership with the United States. Our officials continue to work closely with USTR and other US counterparts, most recently through direct engagement at the July hearings, which Guyana voluntarily availed itself to reinforce its position that it is not aware of evidence demonstrating that goods produced through forced labour are being manufactured in, imported into, or exported from Guyana.

Guyana will be pursuing an exemption from these replacement tariffs even while we remain focused on the finalization of an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade that reflects the strength and maturity of the US-Guyana relationship. We are confident this process will continue on the basis of facts, mutual respect, and shared interest.