THE 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. The high-level General Debate will go until Monday 27, September. Participating in the deliberations are leaders from across the globe including Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

This is the first such engagement since the election of Dr. Ali as President of Guyana. He graced the international stage with the view of advancing the cause of Guyana and the rest of the developing world, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which is having a devastating impact of several countries, especially in the underdeveloped world.

The President, in his contribution, has made a convincing case for a more equitable distribution of vaccines which is so critical if the virus is to be effectively managed and controlled. Because of the pandemic, the size of delegations into the General Assembly Hall has been limited and UN Member States were encouraged to provide pre-recorded statements in lieu of having to travel in person to the UN Headquarters.

That in itself is a reminder, if any at all is needed, of the dire situation the world has found itself in as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and it will take nothing short of a global response if the battle against this scourge is to be defeated.

Guyana is also championing the cause of debt relief and rescheduling, especially as it relates to the underdeveloped world. This burden of debt had been an albatross over the neck of Guyana for much of its post-independence years, thanks to reckless borrowing by the then PNC regime.

Because of economic mismanagement and high levels of incompetence, the PNC Government was forced to resort to borrowing from the multilateral financial institutions including the IMF and the World Bank. It also borrowed from any country that was willing to lend. By the end of the 1980s, the debt burden had reached unsustainable levels with the IMF refusing to do business with the country after having deemed the country ‘uncreditworthy’. In fact, the situation had reached a point where the debt burden was consuming more than 90 per cent of revenues which was extremely unsustainable and precarious.

It was not until the PPP came to power in the elections of October 1992 that efforts were made to reduce debt payments to more manageable levels. Under the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPIC) Guyana benefitted from significant debt rescheduling and write-offs, but the pain of that period still remain fresh.

It is the above context that President Ali has placed on the international agenda the issue of debt rescheduling. Fortunately, the issue of debt rescheduling is no longer a big issue for Guyana but there are several other countries where the debt burden continues to be a drag on their developmental potential.

The President took the opportunity to also raise the issue of Climate Change which continues to be an existential threat to humanity. Guyana has been pursuing a low carbon path to development and Guyana certainly has some ideas worthy of sharing with the international community.

It was a hectic period for the President in New York, just off from a Conference in Mexico. But, with characteristic outburst of energy, President Ali took the opportunity to meet with several Guyanese individuals and groups in the United States where he updated them on developments in the country. He also took the opportunity to participate in a commemorative activity for those who perished in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.

Guyana is gaining prominence on the international stage for which President Ali and his administration must be given credit.