Guyana aims for world centre stage in energy and food security – President Ali
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Government continues to work to ensure Guyana becomes a global leader in key sectors including energy, food and climate.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has reiterated the country’s commitment to building a resilient, sustainable, and competitive economy by 2030.
He was at the time speaking during the opening ceremony for a new histopathology laboratory and 128-slice CT Scanner at the Dr Balwant Singh Hospital, at the weekend.
The head of state highlighted the importance of energy to Guyana’s future, stating that the country is positioning itself as a world leader in natural gas and renewables.
Guyana’s name, Dr Ali emphasised, will be at the forefront of any international conversation on energy, not just petroleum.
“Mark my words, there will be no energy conversation in the world without the name Guyana mentioned. And not petroleum, I speak about energy and natural gas with energy hub [and] renewables. There will be no international conversation about energy without Guyana being mentioned and I say this very humbly,” the president stated.
Meanwhile, Guyana has made significant strides in improving its food security since August 2, 2020.
The government has made investments in agriculture and infrastructure, such as improving irrigation systems, building more dams and reservoirs, and developing new technology to increase agriculture productivity.
The country has also witnessed the implementation of policies to promote sustainable farming practices and reduce food waste.
To this end, Dr Ali remains adamant that there will be no regional or global conversation without Guyana being mentioned. Dr Ali insists that regional or global dialogue will include Guyana in the future.
“We are making the investment to ensure that we have systems in place to make Guyana competitive, sustainable and part of the answer in terms of food security, in [any] food crisis,” the president posited.
One of the main areas where Guyana has shown improvement is in rice production.
Commendably, the country has also made progress in other areas of sugar, livestock, and fisheries. The government wants to expand the agriculture sector further, particularly in non-traditional areas such as fruits and vegetables, which could help to diversify the country’s exports and increase food security.
Meanwhile, climate services and the environment are also top priorities for the PPP/C Government.
The nation’s innovative forest low-carbon development strategy is already attracting attention from around the world.
“If you’re talking climate change, climate services, and environment, there shall be no conversation without Guyana being mentioned,” the president opined.