GUYANA’s international profile was given a significant boost during President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s presentation at the United Nations General Assembly and his interactions with several world leaders. According to the President, Guyana’s election-stained image has been repaired and the country is now gearing up to accommodate an influx of world leaders and other key business executives who have indicated an interest in doing business with the country.

According to the President who hosted a press conference on the eve of his return to Guyana from the United States, within the coming weeks the country will be hosting a visit by the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, and other high-profile members with the view to advancing bilateral talks.

This disclosure by the President came mere weeks after he participated in a historic summit which, among other things, sought to revive relations between the African continent and member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Guyana and Africa have deep cultural and economic similarities and it is only natural for the parties to find ways to deepen such ties

The President has had a busy schedule ever since he departed the country over a week ago. Apart from his participation in the meeting of the General Assembly, he also interacted with several world leaders and heads of several international institutions and interest groups during which he sought to advance Guyana’s interests. One such forum was the Economic Recovery and Restructuring in Emerging Economies and the Integral Role of Energy and Infrastructure Development where he elaborated on the impact of COVID-19 and the government’s plan for recovery. The event, which took the form of a panel discussion, was hosted by the Global Business leadership Forum Goldman Sachs and O’Melveny in New York.

A high-level government delegation headed by President Ali also met with the Inter-American Development Bank President, Mr. Mauricio Claver-Carone at the Office of the Permanent Mission to Guyana in New York. The IDB Head was updated on Guyana’s development plan and the importance of the IDB as a development partner. Bilateral meetings were also held with the leaders of several other countries including Kosovo, Ghana, Colombia and Brazil.

These engagements, apart from raising the image of Guyana, also seek to deepen economic and cultural ties between Guyana and the rest of the world. Guyana is no longer a country, as it were, in the economic backwater, but has now joined the league of oil producing states. Countries are now showing much greater interest in the country which is now seen as an investment hub.

It was, undoubtedly, a very productive engagement between President Ali and the rest of the world which will change the profile of Guyana in positive ways. And this is despite some opposition elements who are seeking to tarnish the image of the country and its leadership by making all manner of false and malicious statements which are not only misleading but intended to divert international attention on the immense strides the country is making in terms of economic development and prosperity for all.

At his press conference in New York, the President was forced to reprimand a news reporter for seemingly alluding to a false narrative of ‘extra-judicial’ killings in Guyana which, as the President observed, has not one iota of truth, but which continues to be parroted by the political opposition and the opposition media. The same false narrative is being peddled  on the issue of the PPP/C being an ‘installed regime’ rigged’ which again is totally lacking in substance but which is designed to distract attention from the enormous progress the country is making under the PPP/C administration.

President Ali must be commended for calling a spade a spade and for debunking the lies and mischief emanating from those who have political axes to grind. He has already demonstrated that he has what it takes to be a world leader and an international statesman for which all Guyanese must be proud.