President Ali hailed for visionary leadership in Int’l diplomacy
─ meets with 18th US Congressional Black Caucus
Head of State, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, for his visionary leadership in Guyana and the Caribbean on matters that run at the heart of food security, leadership, climate change, and democracy.
Speaking during a dinner hosted Thursday evening by the US Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Jackson-Lee said she is happy President Ali understands the role international diplomacy plays in the survival of the world today.
She said, “…Mr. President, {I am} very proud to have the opportunity to meet with you and for this kind of legacy, but also this kind of future that you’re planting for your people and for the people of this region, really, because your light shines and hopefully can draw in other countries that want you more and that we can find better ways to solve problems. So, I applaud you and delighted to be able to be one of the hosts with Chairman Leave to ensure that we continue this friendship”.
Jackson-Lee said the certificate presented is an indication of the respect the US Congressional Black Caucus has for Dr Ali and the people of Guyana.
“It is an affirmation of our mutual love of democracy and our mutual love of treating the people who represent with the highest level of dignity, sympathy, empathy and solutions. So, I wanted to characterise this meeting as accepting the destiny of humanity and saying, One people, one nation, one destiny. I wanted to make sure that we capture what you are exuding“, she declared.
The congresswoman said the US Congress lauds the work Guyana is doing for its people under Dr Ali’s leadership, which continues to be exemplary.
“And what I see in you is the kind of leadership that can go into many doors around the world, and view the people as equal in show them respect so that we can have solutions”, she said.
She explained, “it goes on to assure that you are steadfast in your commitment to the wellbeing and the future of the Guyanese people, and through your outstanding character as a leader, you are going to help them overcome struggles that they may not foresee…it goes on to indicate that your election was a triumph of democracy and a promise of hope for the Guyanese people…”
Another Congressman Gregory Meeks, who was part of dinner and meeting, lauded Dr Ali for his vision and commitment to working for all the people in Guyana and the wider world.
“We just had a fantastic meeting with President Ali talking about the relationship between the United States of America and Guyana, and his leadership. And quite frankly, he is an individual that has a vision of how to make sure that tomorrow is better than today, bringing all of the people of Guyana together, thinking with the vision of the economy in Guyana, working together collectively with various other countries in the forefront of efforts of making sure that we deal with agriculture and stopping it so that people are not starving and hungry….And how the United States can work with them and participate and make sure that we have that partnership…. So, it was a very important and a very good meeting that I had with President Ali”, he said.
Congressmen Danny Davis and Al Green were also present.
Dr Ali, in accepting the award, expressed gratitude to the US Congress, more specifically the Congressional Black Caucus for honouring him.
He said Guyana, just like the United States, is working every day to secure a better life for its people.
“I want to thank you sincerely for hosting us. I want to assure you of our full support, of our openness. Any questions you may have, any clarifications you need to call directly? We are open and ready to provide those. Thank you very much and we pray that God continue to bless you and your family, your constituents, and the people of this great country… to give you not only of strength and courage, but more importantly, to keep you safe in an ever-changing global environment”, Dr Ali said.
Dr Ali held several high-level meetings in Washington over his four day visit to the United States.
The Congressmen and Women at the meeting with President Dr Ali and other officials
On Thursday, he met with Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, Jose W. Fernandez, and Democratic Senator Corey Booker.
He also met with Democrat ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Tim Kaine and Florida Senator Republican Marco Rubio.
This comes of the heels of him meeting and holding talks with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Don Graves, representatives from USAID and the U.S EXIM Bank where an agreement was signed to make available US$2B in funding for development projects in Guyana earlier in the week. Present at the dinner also were Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud and Guyana’s Ambassador to US, Samuel Hinds, among others.