French President Nicolas Sarkozy visits French Guyana on Feb. 11 and 12. FRANCE 24’s Nicolas Ransom and Gulliver Cragg are covering the event. Click below to watch their exclusive reports on the issues concerning the French Guyana and its neighour Brazil, and, in particular, the bridge that is to be built between the two countries.

 

 

FRANCE 24 REPORTS

Illegal Immigration in Guiana

 

 

 

 

When President Cardoso and President Chirac, former heads of state of Brazil and France, met in 1997, talks were held about a bridge over the Oyapak river that would connect Brazil to French Guiana - symbolically representing economic cooperation between Latin America and the EU.

 

A decade later, the construction site is still waiting to take off, and some residents of French Guiana are already skeptical about the project. Many believe that the bridge would pave the way for illegal immigration. 

 

The local police station, however, believes that the fears are unfounded.

 

"The bridge isn't going to increase illegal immigration,", says Vincent Berton, Director of Police in French Guiana. "On the contrary, it's going to control it. The bridge will be subject to round-the-clock police and customs checks."

 

On the economic front, French Guiana desires to reinforce cooperation with Brazil, the Latin American economic giant. At least Jean-Claude Le Pelletier, Chairman of French Guyana's Chamber of Commerce, hopes so: "Our neighbours in northern Brazil feel as isolated within Brazil as we do from the EU. We would like to tell them that, together, we shall be stronger and will be able to explore new markets. In the future, a Guiana label will perhaps facilitate the export of our products to Europe, the Caribbean and Asia."

 

Following a meeting between the current Brazilian and French presidents Lula and Sarkozy, the bridge over the Oyapock river is today a feasible project endeavouring to symbolise a connection between Brazil and the EU.