–continues to uphold its regional, global responsibilities, President Ali says

EMPHASING that Guyana’s prosperity will be the prosperity of the entire region, President Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that the country stands on the right side of history, as it has been dutifully upholding its regional and global responsibilities.

During an address at the American Foundations for the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Brooklyn, New York, where he was awarded with the Legacy Award, Dr. Ali, while highlighting the crisis affecting the region and the world at large, urged those gathered to remain on the right side of history.

“In our region, we have always had the moral standing to be on the right side of history. We must never allow any circumstance or changing conditions to change the way we approach situations, regionally and globally,” the Guyanese Head of State said.

Recently, at a Ramadan celebration, Guyana was able to raise over $72.5 million, through donations, for the People of Palestine.

He noted that more initiatives like this can be expected, before turning his attention to Guyana’s Caribbean Community (CARICOM) sister State, Haiti.

“We cannot find ourselves locked to a forum like this and ignore the realities of the people of Haiti; they have suffered for too long, and too little has been done by too many of us,” he said.

Speaking candidly, President Ali stated that not enough is being done to support Haiti.

“Only recently, I looked at the shocking reality of resources; additional resources being allocated, justifiable so, to the people of Ukraine. But the question is: Where is the urgency for the people of Haiti?”

According to recent reports coming out of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, stakeholders there have finalised an agreement for the establishment of a Presidential Transitional Council.

Back in March, Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned, thereby paving the way for the establishment of a new transitional governance council.
Henry’s resignation came after the CARICOM Chair led meetings with several other regional leaders and international partners to address the increased waves of violence in the member state.

During those engagements, several pledges of support were made. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States’ Department of Defence will double its support for a multinational security mission from US$100 million to US$200 million; this will bring the monetary pledge to US$300 million.

Apart from this, the US has also pledged US$33 million for humanitarian aid.

President Ali, who is also the current Chair of CARICOM, had noted that support for the country will need to go beyond the establishment of the council.

Back in March, international news reports had stated that heavily-armed gangs had attempted to take over Haiti’s main international airport, exchanging gunfire with police and soldiers in the most recent attack on important government locations in a wave of violence that also included a mass escape from the nation’s two largest prisons.

In February, a collective decision determined that the regional bloc will take the lead in conducting a needs assessment to support the significant advancement in hosting elections in Haiti.

Leaders recently converged in Guyana for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.

Confidential meetings were conducted with Henry, who participated in the extended four-day summit.

At that meeting, it was revealed that a consensus was met for democratic elections to be held in the French-speaking state by August 2025.