-President Ali emphasises, says stability and clear policies driving hydrocarbon growth
PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has defended Guyana’s long-term hydrocarbon strategy, noting that Guyana is a stable and predictable destination for global energy investment.
Dr Ali was at the time speaking during the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies conversation titled, “The Future of Guyana,” during which he stated that Guyana’s rapid emergence as a major energy producer is being driven by clear policies, investor confidence and strategic planning for the future.
The President said that Guyana’s hydrocarbon development was already “speaking for itself globally,” noting that major investors and energy companies were fully aware of the country’s reserves, production potential and development strategy.
He said the government’s gas-to-energy initiatives and broader energy plans are intended to unlock opportunities beyond oil production, including lower electricity costs, manufacturing expansion and regional energy integration.
“Our strategy has been very clear,” the President said.
As such, he explained that Guyana was positioning itself to become a net energy supplier to the wider Caribbean region, while also pursuing integration with the energy grids of northern Brazil and Suriname.
He further pointed to the importance of maintaining a policy environment that encourages investment in the sector, while cautioning that shifts in international financing attitudes could affect future opportunities.
Guyana, he said, understands the importance of capitalising on the current global appetite for financing energy and hydrocarbon projects.
“So there is no second-guessing what we are doing,” he added.
Against this backdrop, President Ali noted that predictability remains one of the most critical factors for investors when assessing countries for long-term energy investments.
“If investors cannot see predictability in your policy making, in your decision making, and the way you’re approaching the sector, then you will find it very difficult,” Ali stated.
As such, he indicated that investors examining Guyana see a democratic and rules-based country with clearly defined policies and a transparent framework governing the oil and gas sector.
Further to this, Dr Ali said that Guyana’s success in the hydrocarbon industry was rooted not only in its resource potential, but also in the robustness and practicality of its systems.
Addressing suggestions that the global oil and gas sector was nearing decline, President Ali maintained that international data and development trends did not support such claims.
“Any suggestion that the oil and gas sector is approaching its deathbed is imaginary,” the President said.
Dr Ali, however, stated that oil and gas will remain a critical part of the global energy mix for decades to come and as such, Guyana intends to maximise the opportunities available while investment and financing conditions remain favourable.
