Head of State, President Irfaan Ali, is leading a Guyanese delegation to the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week, where he will address critical global issues. According to a statement from the Office of the President, Ali is scheduled to deliver his address during the General Debate on Wednesday, September 25, sharing Guyana’s perspectives on key challenges affecting the international community.
While in New York, President Ali will hold bilateral meetings with several world leaders, including Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña and Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa. He is also expected to engage with influential figures such as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, World Trade Organisation Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and USAID Administrator Samantha Power.
The President’s agenda includes participation in high-level events, notably the UN’s Summit of the Future and the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden. Additionally, he will join an executive roundtable led by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, focused on sustainable land management, and a health panel organised by Concordia, Mount Sinai, and industry leader John Hess.
In his continued advocacy for education and sustainable development, President Ali will speak at Columbia University on “Creating a New Narrative for Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean,” an event organised by the Columbia Climate School and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). He will also participate in a high-level event on Sustainable Development Goal 4, focusing on educating future generations. This event will be hosted by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah Brown.
Joining President Ali in New York is Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd. The delegation is expected to return to Guyana on Thursday.
Following the UNGA, President Ali is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom, where he will address students at Oxford University on Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and its global impact. During his UK visit, he is expected to meet with newly appointed Foreign Secretary David Lammy and will be honored with the Caribbean Global Leader 2024 award.
Ahead of the UNGA, President Ali was hosted by King Charles III at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where they discussed climate action and the achievements of Guyana’s LCDS.
