Guyana sees US as key ally, not dominant force – Pres Ali tells CNN

President Dr Irfaan Ali has declared that Guyana is working with the United States as a partner in development and security cooperation, noting that the strong bilateral relations between the two countries are premised on shared values and priorities.

The Head of State made these remarks during a recent interview with CNN anchor and chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto. At the time, the Guyanese leader was asked whether he is concerned about the US, under President Donald Trump, wanting to control Guyana as opposed to being a partner.
But reminding them that Guyana is a sovereign state, President Ali contended that “I don’t see the US as trying to force us or trying to be a dominant force with Guyana. We have made it very clear that we are deeply interested in partnership, working together with the US.”
“We see the US as an important ally of Guyana, and the partnership that we build must be built on shared values, shared benefits and the joint development and prosperity of our region… That is how we’re pursuing this relationship.”
In fact, the Guyanese Head of State believes that such a partnership would augur well not just for Guyana but for the region.
“If we pursue the development of our region and the advancement of our relationship from this perspective, it would be sustainable in the long term, and it will be beneficial for the US, and for us, and for the region in the long term,” he asserted.
This, according to President Ali, is reflected in the Shield of the Americas coalition that was established by President Trump in March 2026 and to which Guyana is a founding signatory along with about a dozen Latin American and Caribbean nations, committing to collectively fight criminal networks in the Western Hemisphere.
“So, we have to look at this from the broader regional perspective. When the Shield of Americas [was established], for example…what we saw was the coming together of like-minded countries with specific priorities and specific goals,” he posited.
The Guyanese leader’s remarks come on the heels of the signing of a “landmark” agreement with the US to further deepen military cooperation between the two nations.
The Joint Declaration for an Enhanced Defence Partnership was inked by President and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. It builds on a multi-decade partnership Guyana has with the US and represents an important step in strengthening the defence of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The agreement also reflects the strategic importance both countries attach to the security and stability of Guyana and the wider Western Hemisphere.

Joint declaration
Under this Joint Declaration, the US Department of War will provide sustained defence expertise, multidomain training and combined military exercises with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), supporting Guyana’s continued efforts to develop a modern, strategic defence architecture.
Additionally, this renewed cooperation with the US will also strengthen Guyana’s air-domain awareness and our capacity to monitor, deter and respond to threats within and around its territory.
Importantly, the declaration further reinforces the two countries’ shared commitment to confronting narco-terrorist organisations and narcotrafficking.
During the signing ceremony, Secretary Hegseth lauded Guyana for its leadership role when it comes to combatting narco-terrorism across the region.
“Your leadership across the region with key Caribbean partners has been indispensable,” Hegseth told Ali. “Countries look to you. You’ve taken the lead, you’ve stepped out, laying the foundation for what we’re doing in the hemisphere.”
Meanwhile, President Ali declared that “Together, we are sending a clear message that Guyana and its partners stand ready to deter malign states and non-state actors that threaten our peace, sovereignty and regional security. This agreement marks another significant milestone in our expanding strategic partnership with the United States, which now encompasses security, energy, trade and investment.”
Wednesday’s agreement signing comes just weeks after President Ali attended the second meeting of the Shield of America, which was held in New York, where a number of coordinated actions were agreed upon, including imposing sanctions and other measures on at least 24 narco-terrorist groups.
At that meeting convened on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, member states adopted a joint communiqué declaring their intent to strengthen the resilience of the Western Hemisphere based on three pillars – economic, security and multilateral coordination.