President Ali recognised as one of world’s most influential rising leaders

…named in 2025 Time100 Next list

President Dr Irfaan Ali has been named as one of the world’s most influential rising stars under the Times100 Next list, which spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more.
The list, which was published on Tuesday, also features global leaders like United States (US) President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) Keir Starmer; tech titans like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg; world-renowned athletes such as Simona Biles and Serena Williams; and A-list celebrities like Ed Sheeran, Snoop Dogg and Scarlett Johanson.
In 2019, Time began publishing the Time100 Next list, which is an expansion of the TIME100 list of the most influential people in the world.
According to Time Magazine, in recent years, Guyana’s President has contended with news extra¬ordinarily good and bad.
It writes that on the positive side, this country of over 800,000 persons has one of the world’s fastest-¬growing economies, thanks to a discovery of offshore oil that has produced $7.5 billion from sales and royalties since 2019. It noted, however, on the negative, Guyana lives next door to ¬Venezuela, which claims part of that oil-rich territory despite its international recognition as a part of Guyana.
According to Time, “Ali was re-elected to a second Presidential term in early September in large part because, over the past five years, his Government has used the massive windfall to build roads, schools, and hospitals. Over the next five years, he wants to invest in diversifying to avoid over-dependence on oil prices. But he’ll need all his diplomatic skill to keep tensions with Venezuela at a simmer.”
The magazine noted that the strong mandate he just won from Guyana’s voters signals how much he’s already ¬accomplished.
In a brief comment on his social media page, President Ali said he was honoured to be included in the Time100 Next list for 2025.
Guyana’s President continues to be recognised on the international stage for his exceptional leadership.
In April 2025, he received the prestigious Global Leadership Award for Open Innovation for 2024 from the University of California, Berkeley, for his visionary leadership that has transcended borders, particularly in the realms of environmental sustainability and inclusive economic growth; this award was previously given to Barack Obama, President of the US in 2016.
In December 2024, President Ali received the prestigious Wilson Award from the Wilson Centre for his significant contributions to regional and global advancement, particularly in fields such as sustainability, biodiversity and climate change.
In July 2024, in an acknowledgement of his exceptional leadership, President Irfaan Ali was bestowed with the prestigious Caribbean Global Awards 2024 for his contributions within the region. Earlier in 2024, he was awarded the esteemed Global Africa Leadership Award during an official visit to Ghana.
In April 2024, President Dr Irfaan Ali was conferred with the Legacy Award Class of 2024 at the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies’ (AFUWI) 27th Annual Awards Gala in New York. During the award, President Ali was lauded by Guyanese-born American actress CCH Pounder for his leadership and vision and commitment to nation building and as a champion of regional cooperation.
In January 2023, during an official visit to India, President Irfaan Ali was bestowed with the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians – the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) – for the year 2023 by Prime Minister Modi.
In November 2023, during the 57th Independence Anniversary and the 2nd Republican Day anniversary for Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley bestowed President Ali with the prestigious Order of Freedom of Barbados, the country’s highest national award. The award recognised President Ali’s outstanding contributions to regional integration and his unwavering commitment to fostering social and economic partnerships within the Caribbean Community.
In May 2023, the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) made President Ali the first recipient of the IICA Award for Contribution to Food Security and Sustainable Development. IICA presented the award in recognition of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s leadership in agricultural transformation, food security, and support for building resilient economies in a sustainable manner in Guyana and the Caribbean.