–President Ali says

PRESIDENT Dr. Irfaan Ali was on Friday bestowed with the Global Africa Leadership Award in Ghana for his strong and transformational leadership since assuming the presidential office in 2020.

Dr. Ali, over the past years, has been championing several causes, many of which involved the maintenance of peace and unity.

The Guyanese leader has also been vocal on matters that involve the global disparities faced by developing countries, as well as matters of women’s and children’s rights.

President Ali, in brief remarks after accepting the award, said: “I accept this award on behalf of all our great ancestors who came from Africa and lay their bones on our shores in the name of freedom, just to realise human dignity; just to achieve freedom from the worst system the world has ever seen, that is a system of slavery. And I ask all of us to applaud our ancestors, and what they have done to create a better world for us.”

Most recently, the Head of State has been vocal about the need for reparations to be paid to Caribbean states that were major hubs during the Atlantic Slave Trade.

It was previously reported that the honour also recognises President Ali’s commitment to building “One Guyana” by emphasising the need for unity, inclusivity, and shared prosperity, and his strong and principled leadership during the period of heightened tension due to the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.

“I come from a very small country of six different people; six different ethnic groups. A country that was divided by external forces; forces that sought their own selfish interests, and used what is the greatest asset of humanity, that is our differences or ethnicity, as a tool of division.

“But today, I’m proud to lead a country where the people elected a minority. I am from the minority religion of Islam, and the people of that country elected me as their president,” the President said in a warm address.

Guyana has been strengthening its partnership with several African nations, and speaking to the possibility of further collaborations and vast opportunities, President Ali said: “I will not leave the stage without saying this to all of us tonight. 40 per cent of all the gold reserves in the world is in Africa, who set the price for gold.

30 per cent of all the mineral reserves is in Africa, and 65 per cent of all arable land is here. The next two decades belong to Africa; it is up to ourselves to ensure it happens.”