Dear Editor,

GUYANA’S international standing has been on a roller‑coaster since 2020.

When the APNU+AFC coalition tried to overturn the March election, prominent Commonwealth observers warned that defying the vote would brand our country a pariah and invite sanctions.

Such behaviour not only tarnished Guyana’s reputation but also alienated our Caribbean neighbours.

That is why the PPP/C administration’s stewardship of our foreign affairs is so striking. President Irfaan Ali inherited a nation on the brink of diplomatic isolation.

Instead of retreating inward, he leaned out – engaging partners, repairing damaged relations and championing causes that matter to people everywhere.

By June 2023, Guyana was elected to serve on the UN Security Council, and on January 2, 2024 our flag was raised in New York. Under the banner “Partnering for Peace and Prosperity” our delegation has pushed for action on climate change, peace, food security and youth empowerment.

Dr Ali’s personal diplomacy has been just as important. In July 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stood beside him in Georgetown and praised Guyana’s low‑carbon development path, noting that a nation rich in oil can also be a leader in forest conservation.
Leaders from the Commonwealth, CARICOM, Brazil, Suriname, India and Africa have found in him a willing collaborator and a respectful partner.

When tensions flared with Venezuela this year, he kept calm and sought the moral authority of the International Court of Justice, earning commendations for his restraint.
Compare this to those who now seek to lead. In June 2024 the U.S. Treasury sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed and his company for allegedly defrauding Guyana and bribing officials.

Elevating such figures would undo the goodwill painstakingly rebuilt over the past five years.
The lesson is clear: President Ali’s hands‑on diplomacy has restored Guyana’s good name. We should protect those gains, not gamble them away.

Sincerely,
Lalta Rooplall