Guyanese President Invites Members of Diaspora Back to the Country

President Irfaan Ali met with USAID Administrator Samantha Power in 2023 (Flickr).

During the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, Guyanese President Dr. Irfaan Ali addressed members of the Guyanese diaspora, granting them the opportunity to be a part of the country's “present and future” amid rapid economic and infrastructural growth.

The United Nations General Assembly began on September 9 and concluded on September 25 in the United Nations Headquarters located in New York City. On the evening of September 23, President Ali stepped away from the conference to converse with a group of New Yorkers who either immigrated from Guyana or were descendants of Guyanese citizens.

New York City holds one of the largest populations of Guyanese outside of Guyana and the Guyanese are the second largest foreign-born group, at around 140,000 individuals. Globally, there are an estimated 1.5 million Guyanese individuals living outside of Guyana. During his speech, President Ali acknowledged that many Guyanese citizens left the country for the sake of their children and in search of “better opportunities," but he knows that while they “may have planted roots in New York… a larger part of their hearts still beats to the rhythm of Guyana.” 

He encouraged the crowd to consider returning permanently to Guyana to “invest or visit for a few months each year.” He went on to say that the Guyanese economy is the "fastest growing economy in the world,” labeling it a “land of opportunity.” 

President Ali’s claims are not just his way of trying to bring attraction to Guyana but are a result of the government's efforts to improve the infrastructure and focus on areas of need. 

President Ali, who has been in office since 2015, recently won re-election in September under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to continue his role until 2030. Under his leadership, Guyana has expanded infrastructure plans, many of which have been scheduled to commence. In 2023, the government started constructing the Berbice Stadium and multipurpose centre at Palmyra, which is set to be completed by the end of the year. Following the completion of the New Demerara River bridge in the East Bank, the government has plans to construct a New Berbice River Bridge across the Corentyne River and the country of Surniame. Though this project does not have a concrete timeline, this would be the first major improvement to the bridge since its opening in 2008. 

Beyond infrastructure, Guyana recently signed a 6.8 Billion USD deal with ExxonMobil for their Hammerhead Project in 2029, which will increase Guyana's daily oil producing capacity to 1.5 million barrels per day. This deal would mark the seventh project conducted by ExxonMobil since Guyana’s first oil discovery back in 2015. 

In regards to these new projects, President Ali said, “This is development happening in real time, unfolding at a rapid pace, and it is visible, it is tangible, and it is undeniable.” He emphasized that the lack of resources that once made Guyana undesirable to its people are now being remedied. “We are no longer the land that people run from. We’re now the land that people are running towards… The Guyana we are building is one that is ready to welcome [the diaspora] with open arms,” he said. 

President Ali’s achievements during his first term back up his claims: Guyana is arguably in a much better position economically than they were 10 years ago. Guyanese individuals are being presented with an opportunity to form substantial and financial connections with the country and contribute to its longevity.