–President Ali reiterates country’s plans to be positioned as leader in critical areas of global interest
–says it has always worked relentlessly to be part of a world that is fair to all stakeholders

CAREFUL planning, prudent management of the economy and a keen focus on strengthening its position regionally and globally in key areas of global interest, have resulted in Guyana’s meteoric rise on the global stage.

The country’s diplomacy has served as an attraction for many nations, even as stakeholders also continue to pay attention to its economic development stemming from the effective management of its oil-and-gas resources, crucial efforts to create a conducive environment for investments, and critical injections into education, health, infrastructure, and social welfare, among other things.

Regarding its image on the global stage, Guyana, as it is now, holds the Chairmanship of CARICOM, and Presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“We are playing a very important role regionally and globally now as a country; it is not crafted in the oil-and-gas box alone,” President Dr. Irfaan Ali said during an interview with six-time Emmy Award-winning Television Producer Arick Wierson for Newsweek Magazine in the US.

Guyana is actively working with other countries to address climate change, food security, and related issues. As the current President of the United Nations Security Council, Guyana has taken a leadership role in promoting global action on these critical issues.

“Because of where our country is positioned, and the type of natural resources we are blessed with, it gives us particular advantages. We are also very much a part of CARICOM… while being the gateway to South America.

“With the size of the market we have access to, you understand how a small populated country with huge landmass could play a more integral role in the key areas of concern for the global and regional community,” Dr. Ali said.

Regarding climate change and the environment, the Head of State said: “We live today in a world in which this topic is playing an important role, occupying policy space regionally and globally; we want to be a leader on climate and environment.”

The government, he underscored, is building a country that exemplifies great leadership under the Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. Through this strategy, among other things, the country seeks to pursue development with the least impact on the environment, while also deploying its forests, at a jurisdictional scale, to be part of the global solution on climate and environmental matters.

“Then we have food security… Because of the vast expanse of arable lands and fresh water, we are an important stakeholder in ensuring food stability, and stability from a price and supplier perspective. And food security for the region and globally, we want to ensure Guyana is playing a key role in this area,” President Ali said.

On the topic of energy security, he said: “We want to position Guyana as a regional and global hub in the supply of energy, but also the renewable potential and feeding it into a system that would allow us to be an integral part of the regional energy [mix].”

In order to achieve these goals, however, the President was firm on his position that the country needs to build a highly skilled and competent human-resource asset base that could match the ambitious agenda. Efforts are already underway to do so, with significant investments being made to ensure Guyanese have access to university education, as well as technical and vocational programmes.

Outside of those issues, Guyana’s rise on the global stage, and its presence on the Security Council come amidst the rise in the number of conflicts, increase in democratic backslide, and threat to peace in many regions of the world.

To quote Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, “The wars in Ukraine and Gaza, for instance, have upended peace, causing instability with far-reaching consequences for both the human beings who are the casualties, and the international system which is now experiencing severe strain.”

Cognisant of the global issues and importance of peace, Guyana’s engagement in the Council, Foreign Secretary Persaud said, will be guided by the consistent and principled approach historically adopted in relation to people’s right to self-determination, adherence to international law, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The theme of Guyana’s participation in the Security Council is, “Partnering for Peace and Prosperity”.

It was reported that Guyana’s tenure on the Council will be rooted in a firm commitment to multilateralism, and guided by the priorities of (i) climate change, food insecurity and conflict; (ii) peacebuilding and conflict prevention; (iii) women, peace and security; (iv) protection of children in armed conflict; and (v) youth, peace and security.

“We have, throughout the history of our country, stood on the side of justice; we have worked relentlessly to be part of a world that is fair to all stakeholders and participants in the global community.

“It requires just leadership, a just system, and a system that speaks to the importance of the rule of the law and democracy,” President Ali said, noting that Guyana has had its own internal challenges when democracy was threatened in 2020, when the APNU+AFC tried to influence the outcome of the elections, using “undemocratic principles”.

In closing, he said, “So we understand how these principles are important; that is what shapes our regional and international outlook.”