Numerous opportunities in Guyana – President Ali tells Qatar team

…highlights Govt’s plan to make country hub for agriculture, food security

As a follow-up to engagements during his visit to Dubai last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali and a high-level local team on Thursday met with senior officials of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) – the sovereign wealth fund of the Middle-East State.

The visiting team comprised of two QIA Executives, Abdulhadi F A Al-Hajri and Dany Farah Nakhoul. Their visit is a follow-up to talks started by President Ali and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
During the meeting, held at the Office of the President, the Guyanese Head of State informed the QIA officials that the engagement was critical, and can open up many opportunities for cooperation between the Guyana Government, the local Private Sector and QIA.
President Ali went on to highlighted his Government’s desire to make Guyana the hub for agriculture and food security within the region and further afield. He also pointed to the numerous opportunities in other sectors that would promote the overall growth and development of Guyana.
Accompanying President Ali during Thursday’s high-level meeting were Senior Minister within the Office of the President, with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Agriculture, Zukfikar Mustapha; Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond; and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar.
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), Rafeek Khan; President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Timothy Tucker; President of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Paul Cheong; President of the Aircraft Owners Association, Gerald Gouveia; and President of the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), Manniram Prashad, were the Private Sector representatives.
The State of Qatar is among several Middle-East nations that have expressed serious interest in investing in various sectors in Guyana during President Ali’s visit last month for the Dubai World Expo.
Only two weeks ago, a representative from the Private Office of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Gaspar Lino, met with several Government Ministers during a visit here, including with Minister Mustapha, to discuss a number of investment opportunities for Guyana’s agriculture sector.
During the meeting, Lino expressed his country’s willingness to invest in the agriculture sector in several areas.
According to Mustapha, the talks were favourable, and he detailed that proposals for possible areas of investment would be submitted to the office of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum soon.
“We were able to draft a preliminary list of areas for investments for Mr. Lino. My office is currently in the process of compiling a detailed investment package for him to take back to Dubai. As a Government, we understand the need for investments in all the sectors. As we work to revitalise and resuscitate the agriculture sector, the Ministry will be engaging a number of investors, both locally and internationally. There are a number incentives and investment opportunities available, and I can easily say that there has been no better time to invest in Guyana,” Minister Mustapha said.
Some of the areas in the sector earmarked for investments are fertiliser production and assemblage; organic poultry rearing; coffee, cocoa, corn, soya bean, spices; and online agriculture and product development.
Meanwhile, during a virtual meeting with a high-level Government team last week, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) was told that Guyana has the capacity for the large-scale production of many agricultural commodities, such as soya bean, ginger, corn, rice, coconuts, eddoes, cassava and plantains, which can be exported to Dubai. It was emphasised that with Dubai being a major global commodity trading hub, Guyana stands to gain access to wider markets for its products. Other investment opportunities were noted, such as those in the forestry and mining sectors.
After hearing of these opportunities, DMCC expressed interest in learning more about Guyana’s agricultural and mining potential, including commodities such as coffee, cocoa and rare earth minerals. The Guyanese representatives from both the Public and Private Sectors thereby noted that now is the opportune time for Guyana’s abundant resources to be transformed into wealth for the prosperity of all citizens.