PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has stressed the need for collective action by world leaders to ensure a peaceful, natural and beautiful world. This call was made during his address, at the Marriot Hotel, to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
This call could not have come at a more crucial moment when there is heightened global tension following the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The most recent development is the firing of ballistic missiles by Iran in the heartland of Israel following a number of high profile assassinations carried out by the Israeli military.
Among those killed were the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, both of whom were close allies of the Iranian government. The risk of the war engulfing the entire Middle East has never been higher.

As noted by President Ali in his remarks, we are living in a complex global environment defined more by competition rather than cohesion, conflict more than peace. The way forward, he said, is for leaders to make a choice that will allow for future generations to inherit a peaceful and beautiful world. The current trajectory, if continued, would condemn future generations to a world that is broken and destroyed.

Guyana, according to President Ali, has made a choice that is rooted in principles and values which in essence will allow for the inheritance of an earth ‘that is better today than it was yesterday.’

Make no mistake about it. Money siphoned off for military purposes is in effect a net withdrawal of valuable resources from human development. The true cost of military spending is not the actual money spent but what economists refer to as the sacrificed alternative. It is the schools and hospitals that could have been built instead of military hardware and other weapons of mass destruction.

The fact is, as pointed out by President Ali, there are no winners in an environment of wars and conflict. One only has to look at what is going on in places like Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan to see the suffering and debilitating effects that wars and conflicts have on people, in particular women and children.
This is why Guyana’s principled positions on fundamental issues such as respect for international law, national sovereignty, territorial integrity and democracy as the basis of governance have resonated with people and societies all across the world. These are universal values which are at the centre of all civilized nations.

Despite its limitations in terms of geographic and population size, Guyana is making a significant contribution at the regional and international levels. Its election to the United Nations Security Council is one such indicator. It is no exaggeration to state that Guyana is now, at it were, punching above its

weight, thanks to the proactive role of the country on major issues such as climate change, food and energy security among others.
President Ali and the PPP/C administration must be commended for putting Guyana on the international spotlight.