3-day State visit: President Ali advances Qatar talks on energy, finance, food security, climate

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Monday held a series of high-level meetings with Qatari officials as he continued his three-day State Visit to Doha, with discussions focused on expanding cooperation between Guyana and Qatar in several key areas. Ali, who arrived in Qatar on Sunday, said his engagements included talks with Qatar’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani, on opportunities for collaboration in food security, mining, digitisation and infrastructure. The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen partnerships between the private sectors of Guyana and Qatar. In another engagement, Ali met with Qatar’s Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Ghanem bin Shaheen Bin Ghanem Al Ghanem.

According to the President, discussions centred on cooperation in education, culture and heritage. Climate and environmental issues also featured prominently during the visit. Ali said he held discussions with Qatar’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie, on climate change, global biodiversity and potential partnerships involving carbon credits. The President also met Qatar’s Finance Minister, Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, to discuss several areas of financial cooperation. These included potential collaboration between the Qatar Development Bank and the Guyana Development Bank (GDB), the investment fund and other investment opportunities. Energy was another key area of discussion, with Ali meeting Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida Al Kaabi, to explore potential cooperation in the energy sector. The engagements are part of the ongoing bilateral discussions between the two countries as Guyana seeks to deepen its economic and investment relationships internationally. Ali arrived in Doha on Sunday accompanied by First Lady Arya Ali and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd. They were welcomed at Hamad International Airport by Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, and Guyana’s Ambassador to Qatar, Safraaz Ahmad Shadood. Upon arrival, Ali received a Guard of Honour before beginning his official engagements. Shortly after his arrival, Ali met with Mohammed Saif al Sowaidi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar’s state-owned sovereign wealth fund. According to the Office of the President, QIA is pursuing a major hospitality and real estate development in Georgetown and is examining other investment opportunities in Guyana. The US$350 million project, signed in August 2025, is planned for a 30-acre site in Georgetown, approximately 121,000 square metres, and is expected to include a luxury hotel, commercial spaces, residential units, sports facilities and public green spaces. Ali’s current visit comes months after he held discussions with Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries. During an official telephone call in April, the two leaders discussed opportunities in investment, food security, energy security and technology, with the aim of expanding collaboration through partnerships. During those discussions, Ali positioned Guyana as an important destination for Qatar based on its geographic and market position, while the Amir expressed Qatar’s interest in broadening cooperation in investment, human capital development, technology, food security and critical infrastructure. Guyana has also been promoting itself as a strategic logistics and storage hub in the Western Hemisphere. The push has taken place against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East and disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s major oil transit routes. The President’s latest engagements also build on his previous visit to Doha in May 2023, when he held high-level meetings with Qatar’s Prime Minister (PM) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari. During that visit, Ali also met members of the Guyanese diaspora in Qatar and outlined Guyana’s development plans, including its focus on climate, energy and food security, as well as ambitions to position the country as a provider of education and health services.

At the time, Ali also pointed to potential private-sector involvement from Qatar in areas including hospitality, eco-tourism, energy services and infrastructure, while encouraging Guyanese living in Qatar to participate in Guyana’s development. Guyana and Qatar established diplomatic relations in 1996, and bilateral ties have expanded in recent years through high-level engagements, the opening of diplomatic offices, agreements on economic and technical cooperation and increased Qatari commercial interests in Guyana. The latest State Visit therefore comes as both countries continue discussions on investment, energy, finance, food security, technology, infrastructure, climate and other areas of mutual interest.