PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali has outlined that Guyana could play a pivotal role in regional energy and digital integration and positioned the country as a strategic hub within the Western Hemisphere.
Dr Ali made this known while delivering the keynote address at the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies conversation series at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
He stated that global shifts in energy demand and technological advancement present a unique opportunity for countries in the region to build more secure and interconnected systems.
It was then that he pointed to recent global developments which have exposed vulnerabilities in existing infrastructure, particularly in relation to energy supply and digital capacity.
“One of the things we have learned the last three years in the world is not only about the production of energy, it is how much of that energy you can consume yourself to add value and create multiplier effect within your countries,” President Ali said.
Against this backdrop, President Ali stated that Guyana is seeking to harness its growing energy capacity to support not only domestic development but also regional expansion, particularly in areas such as data processing and digital services.
He noted that significant investments in data centres across other regions, including the Middle East, have highlighted the risks associated with limited geographic redundancy.
“In the Western Hemisphere, we have also seen how exposed the US investment and other investment from this hemisphere was, and continue to be in data centres in the Middle East, with no redundancy,” he said.
To this end, President Ali underscored the importance of building a more resilient and integrated regional framework, supported by energy resources and modern infrastructure.
“Today, with Brazil, Guyana, and in this region where you have strategic gas exploration, we now must retain this strategy,” he added.
The President said the current global environment presents an opportune moment for countries within the hemisphere to collaborate more closely, particularly as major economies place increased emphasis on regional partnerships.
He called this shift both timely and necessary, noting that greater coordination could unlock significant economic potential while strengthening energy security.
“It is time we in the Western Hemisphere maximise and optimise our potential in creating a common system with common infrastructure that would allow us to grow together in a secure environment,” President Ali said.
As such, he noted that Guyana is already laying the groundwork to support this vision through targeted investments in infrastructure, including energy generation, transmission networks and digital systems.
These efforts, he explained, are aimed at positioning the country to capitalise on emerging opportunities in areas such as data services, industrial development and cross-border integration.
President Ali highlighted that building internal capacity is essential if countries are to compete effectively in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
“You cannot position yourself to compete in this sector if your country does not demonstrate to the world that you are applying the output of this sector to improve your own efficiency and competitiveness,” he said.
With this, he said that Guyana’s approach is designed not only to strengthen national development but also to contribute meaningfully to broader regional growth.