–with record number of participants expected, diverse expositions, President Ali highlights

EXPECTED to attract a record number of global participants, Guyana’s Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo will this year be more expansive, with a wider scope, highlighting the country’s diverse sectors including oil and gas, agriculture, tourism, and mining sectors.

This was according to President, Dr Irfaan Ali during a video message on Thursday. He said that the event aims to showcase Guyana’s development opportunities and its ambition to be a major energy player in the region.
The Head of State said: “This year, we’re going to have a record number of participants, exhibitors from all across the globe. That is not only good for our country, but that is good for the industry itself. You know, there is a diverse set of expositions that will take place covering different sectors, not only the oil and gas, and there’ll be great opportunities to understand the development that is taking place in Guyana.”
Attendees will have the chance to engage with policy makers, local businesses and cultural events, including tastings of local cuisine and an “energy walk.”
The 2025 conference is anticipated to be more expansive and significant than previous ones.

Dr Ali said: “We have many other opportunities outside oil and gas. The energy equation, of course, is important, because we are looking to be a major player in energy within the region itself. New opportunities that are coming with gas. All of these will be showcased at the Energy Conference.”

With Guyana diversifying its economy, he noted that the country is looking forward to fostering regional and global unity.
The Head of State said: “So, we’re looking forward to bringing the region together, bringing the world together here in Guyana, as we seek to continue expansion of the energy sector, and the building out of the diversified economy here in Guyana.”

The conference will be held at the Marriott Hotel from February 18 to 21.
He further pointed out that the country is not ‘wedded’ to oil and gas, as there are other vast opportunities for exploration.
During a previous broadcast programme, Dr Ali had stated that continuous efforts, are being made to ensure that the non-oil economy does not ‘stagnate’, but rather is invested in to support growth and massive enhancements.

The government, he noted, has successfully navigated its way in avoiding ‘pitfalls’ such as the economic phenomenon that is the Dutch Disease that occurs when a country experiences a rapid increase in revenue from natural resources (like oil or gas), leading to negative side effects in other sectors of the economy, particularly manufacturing and agriculture.

“It shows that our policy of protecting the traditional; building new and expanding the economic base from non-oil is bearing tremendous fruit,” the Head of State said.
Providing a further breakdown of how the non-oil economy has flourished, Dr Ali revealed that Guyana’s agricultural sector saw a growth of 17 per cent, while the services sector saw a growth of 28 per cent and the construction sector saw a growth of 138 per cent. And, at a whopping 153 per cent, mining and other sectors have thrived over the past four years.