As Guyana pursues an aggressive development trajectory, President Dr Irfaan Ali has lobbied the small Guyanese Diaspora in Qatar to participate in their homeland’s transformation.
The Head of State made this plea during a recent engagement with the Guyanese community in Doha at the recently established Guyana Embassy.
President Ali updated the Guyanese diaspora living in Qatar about Guyana’s development drive, its leadership quest in the areas of climate, energy and food security, and of plans to make the country a global provider of education and health services.
He also spoke about the country’s standing forest and the preservation measures implemented; while highlighting the availability of arable land for agriculture and the partnerships being developed with Guyana’s neighbours including northern Brazil to create an energy corridor.
On this note, the Guyanese Leader invited the diaspora to become a part of the developmental process.
“We are at a very critical stage of the development of our country and every single Guyanese, whether you are in Qatar or any other part of the world, we want you to be an active participant in this transformation,” President Ali said according to a brief statement on the Office of the President Facebook page.
According to the Head of State, Guyana is advancing its global reach and its relationship with Qatar has been bolstered. He further noted that very soon there will be a “great deal of activism” from the private sector in Qatar in the areas of hospitality, eco-tourism, energy services and infrastructure.
The union, the president added, will also take part at a government-to-government level.
President Ali is currently on an Official Visit to Qatar, where he has been engaging high-level government and private sector officials in the Middle Eastern country.
On Tuesday, President Ali commissioned the Guyana Embassy in Doha, calling it a “momentous occasion” and a direct link to enhancing bilateral relations between the two nations.
He said Guyana and Qatar share a number of similarities, including promoting peace, stability and sustainability.
According to the Guyanese Leader, the embassy opening was “significant because it symbolised the physical existence of the bond of friendship, love and commitment between two countries, who share common values to secure the prosperity of humanity and to advance a cause through which we create a better environment for the people of our countries and the people of this world.”
President Ali also highlighted Guyana’s current development path and the country’s global leadership drive in climate, energy and food security, adding that Qatar is leading by example in these areas.
“The core issues of food security, climate security and energy security are paramount to the existence of humanity. Qatar is showing by example through investment, technology, commitment, and the training of their human resource potential.”
Qatar, the President added, has many “good examples” that Guyana can learn from; including the ways that the country’s resources were invested to diversify the economy, expand its reach, and promote the prosperity of its people.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi spoke about the embassy opening as a starting point in the advancement of relations between the two “friendly” countries.
“We at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirm our provision of all possible assistance that would contribute to supporting and strengthening bilateral relations at all levels, especially in the economic, political and cultural fields…”
During his visit, President Ali and Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh met with the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and members of his Cabinet.
The Guyanese officials were also given a guided tour of the Baladna Farm in Al Khor, which is one of the largest cattle farms in the region. Guyana and Qatar established diplomatic relations in 1996.
