Guyanese President receives Al Zeyoudi, affirms commitment to expanding UAE economic partnership

Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, received Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, during an official visit by a UAE delegation comprising senior government officials and business leaders aimed at strengthening trade and investment cooperation between the two friendly countries.

 The meeting was attended by Omar Shehadeh, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Caribbean and Pacific States.

During the meeting, held at the Presidential Headquarters in Georgetown, Al Zeyoudi conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, along with their wishes for continued progress and prosperity for Guyana and its people.

President Ali welcomed the UAE delegation and asked Al Zeyoudi to convey his greetings to the UAE leadership, together with his wishes for the continued progress, prosperity and well-being of the UAE and its people.

The meeting reviewed ways to strengthen cooperation across a range of sectors of mutual interest, particularly in trade and investment, reflecting the growing relationship between the UAE and Guyana and both countries' commitment to advancing it to new levels.

President Ali reaffirmed Guyana's commitment to deepening its relations with the UAE and praised the continued growth of bilateral cooperation across various fields.

He also expressed his country's aspiration to expand its partnership with the UAE, particularly in the trade and investment sectors, and to benefit from the opportunities created by the growing economic relationship between the two countries in support of shared interests and sustainable development goals.

President Ali said bilateral relations with the UAE had developed rapidly, with both countries reaching an advanced level of understanding on development priorities, underpinned by mutual trust and shared expertise, which had elevated the partnership to new horizons.

He noted that regular high-level visits and direct communication between officials had strengthened mutual confidence and created favourable conditions for launching practical initiatives and partnerships. He also called on private sector representatives from both countries to build sustainable partnerships and exchange expertise that would deliver tangible results.

As part of the visit, organised under the "UAE Trade Days" initiative, Al Zeyoudi held a series of bilateral meetings with senior ministers and officials, including Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President of Guyana; Zulkiqar Ali, Minister of Public Service and Government Efficiency; Dr. Ashni K. Singh, Minister of Finance; Deodat Indar, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation; and Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources.

The meetings focused on strengthening trade and investment cooperation and exploring opportunities across several strategic sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, technology, mining, infrastructure, financial services and security solutions.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of expanding trade and investment ties and their shared commitment to launching new economic and investment partnerships that serve the mutual interests of both countries.

The visit also featured a roundtable attended by President Ali, a number of ministers, investors and business leaders from the UAE and Guyana, during which participants reviewed trade and investment opportunities in priority sectors and explored ways to strengthen private sector partnerships to support investment flows, increase bilateral trade and promote sustainable economic development.

Discussions also covered opportunities to improve logistics connectivity, facilitate trade and encourage greater private sector cooperation between the two countries.

Al Zeyoudi said, "Guyana's fast-growing economy presents a promising opportunity to enhance trade and investment flows with the UAE, supported by its rich natural resources and strategic location. Our discussions during this visit focused on identifying practical mechanisms to strengthen cooperation and advance our shared interests. By deepening dialogue and expanding areas of collaboration, we are laying the foundations for a strong and sustainable partnership, in line with the mutual commitment of our two friendly countries to further strengthen their long-standing relationship."

Non-oil foreign trade between the UAE and Guyana reached $746.3 million in 2025, representing a record increase of 48.4 percent compared with 2024, reflecting the growing trade and investment relationship between the two countries and the significant opportunities for further economic cooperation with Guyana, one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

The UAE economic delegation included representatives from government and private sector entities, as well as companies operating in technology, digital services, renewable energy, agriculture, food industries, logistics, transport, mining, healthcare, financial services and security solutions.

WAM