H. E. Dr. Mohammed Irfan Ali is the current and youngest to ever hold the office of the president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. President Ali is the newest unexpected international celebrity hailing from the Caribbean. Informally President Irfan Ali has become even more popular in the neighboring countries since his most recent address to the 78th general debate at the United Nations. While there. President Ali spoke on many issues including climate change, world hunger, the War in Ukraine, the ongoing crisis in Haiti and a reoccurring territory issue with the Venezuelan government that is before the United Nations Security Council. The topics he covered are all v
ery high-level topics in the international ecosystem and extremely controversial. Some of the topics that he covered were not only controversial but debatable for example his comments regarding the Ukraine and Russian war. In his speech president Ali noted that global peace is hinged on dignity and respect, and this must apply to all persons on this planet. This was not the president's first address to the UN he had previously addressed the UN in 2022 and covered similar topics except for the Ukraine war. Although these topics may not seem controversial, they are rooted in controversy. President Ali addressed that disparages of how the global nations have initiated financial and economic support for the war in Ukraine. And although he and his nation are in full solidarity, he noted that the world was able to provide 220 billion dollars to Ukraine with the addition of another 37 billion dollars from the WB in just over one year. This is in comparison to other countries in crisis including of his neighboring island of Haiti where he noted his Caricom neighbor has only received 20 billion dollars in aid in the last 60 years. This call out brought UN members to applaud his bold statements and request for equality for all.
Prior to his address he spent some time in New York and in the hours prior to his presentation the doctorial president interviewed via stream with the Nationally televised Good Morning Britain where he interviewed with the host Richard Madeley. The Independent referred to the hosts behavior as “vile” and noted “Madeley slamming his hand on the desk after growing increasingly frustrated” while interviewing the president.
Guyana President Dr. Ali appearing on Good Morning Great Britain photo courtesy of YouTube. (2023). YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNNwIKs4Og&t=798s.
These are the reactions the president is receiving because on behalf of his Caribbean community President Ali is the first sitting or non-sitting president to address Great Britain regarding repatriations for their participation in the continental slave trade. Guyana a member of Caricom with the Caricom Headquarters being in Georgetown, the capitol of Guyana is set to be a leader in economic growth in the world by 2025 and in the interim President Ali is taking hold of the leadership of the Caribbean Community by seeking what he referred to as “justice for the greatest indignity ever done to man”. During the combative interview President Ali was asked “How much do you think the Royal family owes?” Ironically the president was able to provide the data and mathematics that will derive to repatriations to the Caribbean countries nearing the hundred billion. Never has there been a president to not only request an apology for the damage that the slave trade has caused but the first to request financial repayment. While other senior leadership have discussed it but none were ever so bold to present the idea to the public. President Ali is set to represent not only the future of Guyana but the future of the entire Caribbean. His current issues stem with the ongoing debate with neighboring Venezuela who has recently looked to amend the territorial agreement of 1899 that outlined the Guyana and Venezuela boarders. On December 3rd the current Venezuelan administrations seeks to vote on a referendum request that will ignore the declared boarders of the 2 countries and seek to regain the Guyanese inhabited territory Essequibo River. On November 18th the International Court of Justice has identified the application put forth by Guyana to reconfirm and enforce the boarder declared in the 1899 agreement.
Press secretary Suelle Findlay Williams, provided media of Dr Ali addressing the people of Guyana on November 18 2023. He stated that despite media sensationalizing “Venezuela is actively participating in the agreements” he continued on to say that “what is necessary at this time, is for us to do everything at every level to ensure that Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is kept intact, and I ensure all Guyanese that we are spearing no effort to and I am confident that the work that we are doing will not only ensure this but secure this”. Venezuela has the option to determine to move forward with their December 3rd referendum as the outcome is debatable within their parliament.
Biography of his excellency dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali – president of the co-operative republic of Guyana and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Office of the President. (n.d.). https://op.gov.gy/index.php/presidents-biography/
YouTube. (2023a). YouTube. Retrieved November 19, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZgFXM6AiUM.
YouTube. (2023). YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMNNwIKs4Og&t=798s.
Independent Digital News and Media. (2023, September 20). Richard Madeley criticised for “vile” treatment of Guyana president Irfaan Ali on GMB. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/richard-madeley-gmb-guyana-president-reparations-b2414996.html
Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) Request for the indication of provisional measures Conclusion of the public hearings held on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 November 2023. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/171/171-20231115-pre-01-00-en.pdf.
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