— Pledges continued partnership on health, housing and food security

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday met with World Bank Division Director for the Caribbean Achim Fock at State House, where discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Guyana and the international financial institution.
According to President Ali, the World Bank team reiterated its commitment to working with the Government to advance cooperation and partnerships in several critical areas of national development.
These include health, education, poverty reduction, housing, flood mitigation and food security.

“During our engagement, the World Bank team reiterated its commitment to working with Government to advance cooperation and partnerships in several critical areas, including health, education, poverty reduction, housing, flood mitigation and food security,” the President said.
The engagement comes as Fock and his team are in Guyana during a transition period for the World Bank’s country representation, with the institution’s Guyana and Suriname Representative, Diletta Doretti, nearing the end of her term.
The World Bank recently reported that, as the global economy faces mounting uncertainty from geopolitical tensions, rising energy prices and slowing growth, Guyana is expected to remain one of the world’s standout economic performers, with the country’s economy projected to continue recording exceptional growth on the back of expanding oil production.
That assessment was made in the World Bank’s June 2026 Global Economic Prospects report, which painted a cautious picture of the global economy while singling out Guyana as a bright spot in the Latin America and Caribbean region.
According to the report, countries across the Caribbean are expected to face increasing pressure from higher fuel costs and inflation as a result of disruptions in global energy markets. However, Guyana’s rapidly expanding petroleum sector is expected to continue driving strong economic performance.
The report classified Guyana among the world’s energy-exporting emerging market and developing economies, underscoring the country’s growing role in global energy markets.
The latest forecast adds to a growing body of international assessments that continue to identify Guyana as one of the fastest-growing economies globally, driven by increasing crude oil production and sustained investments in infrastructure, energy, housing, healthcare and other transformative sectors.
In April, the World Bank’s Latin America and the Caribbean Economic Update – April 2026 reported that Guyana remained the standout performer in the region, with projected growth of 16.3 per cent in 2026. The report projected that double-digit growth would continue into 2027, reaching 23.5 per cent.
Guyana recorded more than G$159 billion in oil revenues during the first quarter of 2026, according to figures published in the Official Gazette, with receipts covering the period December 30, 2025, to March 31, 2026.