–President Ali receives invitations for state visits from over 50 countries; scheduled for visit to China next month

WITH the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government having restored Guyana’s position as a leader on the world stage, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali is currently facing invitations for state visits from over 50 countries, and will be making a trip to China next month to strengthen bilateral relations with the Asian nation.

This was shared by the President on Thursday in a video message released on his official social media page, where he justified how his many international engagements have been bearing fruits of development for Guyana over the last three years.

“For the month of July, I received more than 50 direct requests from Heads of Governments around the world. We’re going on our official state visit to China. These are the things we do to bring results for the country,” the President said

He added: “We have proposals coming from France, French Guiana. These are all proposals that come directly from our international engagements, directly from pushing and promoting Guyana and what we have to offer. We are on the right trajectory.”

According to the Head of State, since assuming office, he has had the honour of engaging with more than 60 leaders from across the world, more than 50 Chief Executive Officers from major multinationals, engaged with international organisations, and asked to give the keynote addresses at more than 150 events.

“I could not have done all of those [as it was not] humanly impossible. But I’m giving you these figures so you understand and what esteem our country is held with today,” Dr. Ali said.

He went on to say: “My International agenda has been a very active one, but with a difference, we have been focusing on economic diplomacy, bilateral relationships to ensure that Guyana’s position on many global issues is understood and that the support for Guyana is overwhelming.

“As could have been seen from the vote for us in the United Nations Security Council. The highest vote, unanimous, just one abstention, not many countries can boast of this. That is because of the level of respect and regard that the international Community has for us.”

Earlier this month, Guyana was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nation’s Security Council for the period 2024 – 2025. However, this was just the pinnacle in Guyana’s rise on the international stage that has been ongoing over the past three years.

According to Dr. Ali, his government has an agenda to place Guyana in global leadership on food, security, energy, security, and climate security. However, this requires a strong position on the international stage, with bilateral and multilateral engagements that build support for Guyana.

As such, the President has been observably active in engaging with the international community, but he noted his disappointment that anyone would see this as anything less than a plus for Guyana.

“So, those engagements take time, we have been able to establish numerous bilateral and multilateral relationships and contacts. We’ve been able to enhance our image and where we were taken off of the agenda. We had lost our place on the global agenda in terms of forests of climate change. We are now once again leading this globally. Only recently at the Commonwealth Heads of Government, everyone was high in praise for Guyana’s leadership on climate change [through] the Low Carbon Development Strategy on forest,” the President said.