— President Ali urges ‘game-changing investments’ to drive next phase of growth

Guyana’s trade relationship with the United Kingdom has undergone a sweeping transformation over the past four years, recording a near threefold increase, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced on Wednesday evening.
Speaking at a cocktail reception for the 5th UK-Guyana Trade Mission, President Ali said the jump in trade from 2020 to present reflects both the strengthening of bilateral ties and the emergence of new strategic opportunities.
He recalled that in 2020, trade between the two countries was “modest by global standards yet already showing signs of growth.” However, he noted that the pace accelerated sharply thereafter as the partnership deepened.
By 2022, total trade climbed to £1.134 billion, rising to £1.3 billion in 2023 and then £1.64 billion in 2024.
“These numbers chart a remarkable transformation over a relatively short time from roughly 587 million pounds in 2020 to 1.64 billion in 2024. Nearly a threefold increase in four years, that is remarkable by any standard,” the President stated.
Breaking down the latest figures, he reported that in 2024 UK exports to Guyana reached £773 million, while imports from Guyana amounted to £867 million, resulting in a £94 million trade deficit for the UK.
Early data for 2025 suggest continued expansion. The President revealed that rolling four-quarter data for the second quarter of 2025 show UK imports from Guyana at £679 million and exports to Guyana at £883 million, producing a UK trade surplus of £204 million.
But despite the upward trend, he cautioned that structural risks remain.
“Guyana’s export continues to be dominated by commodities. Much of what we send abroad remains primary goods,” he said, warning that such a structure exposes the country to global price volatility and restricts long-term value capture.
“We in Guyana are eager to shift that balance, to see a growing portion of our exports emerge as manufactured, industrial or value-added goods. But to do so, we need game-changing investments,” the President stressed.
Such investments, he said, must target infrastructure, energy, manufacturing capacity, skills development, agro-processing and technology.

KEY SECTORS TARGETED FOR UK PARTNERSHIP
President Ali outlined several priority sectors where British capital, technology and expertise can deliver transformative impact.
Energy generation and transmission topped the list. He invited UK firms specialising in renewable energy, grid design, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), energy-efficient technologies and long-term project engineering to partner with Guyana as it modernises its national energy architecture.
The industrial and manufacturing sector was identified as the next major frontier.
“With reliable energy, Guyana is destined to become a hub of manufacturing… We envision Guyana as a manufacturing base for the Caribbean and beyond,” he told investors, urging UK companies with advanced technology and know-how to help build out the sector.
On agriculture and food system modernisation, the President reaffirmed Guyana’s ambition to become the Caribbean’s food hub. Achieving this, he noted, requires modern agri-processing, cold chain logistics, packaging technologies, climate-smart agriculture, mechanisation and agro-industry.
He encouraged UK firms with these competencies to explore the accelerating opportunities in the sector.
President Ali also pointed to vast openings in health, education and social infrastructure, underscoring that Guyana is building world-class systems in both sectors and requires partners in hospital construction, medical technology, digital platforms, education delivery and capacity-building.
Rounding off the list, he highlighted eco-tourism, citing Guyana’s forests, rivers and hinterland biodiversity as “national assets” well-suited for sustainable, high-value tourism partnerships.
With trade surging and investment opportunities widening, President Ali highlighted that the next phase of the UK–Guyana partnership must be anchored in long-term, transformational projects that build resilience, diversify exports and accelerate Guyana’s industrial rise.