President Dr. Irfaan Ali was honoured with the Global Africa Leadership Award in Ghana, acknowledging his impactful and transformative leadership since assuming office in 2020.
Dr Ali has steadfastly advocated for various causes, notably focusing on peace, unity, global disparities in developing countries, and the rights of women and children.
In his acceptance speech, President Ali dedicated the award to the great ancestors who sacrificed for freedom and human dignity, particularly those who endured the horrors of slavery. He applauded their contributions to creating a better world.
Addressing contemporary issues, President Ali has been vocal about the need for reparations to Caribbean states deeply affected by the Atlantic Slave Trade. The award also recognizes his commitment to building a unified Guyana and his moral leadership during the heightened tensions surrounding the border controversy with Venezuela.
President Ali, in brief remarks after accepting the award, said:
“I accept this award on behalf of all our great ancestors who came from Africa and laid their bones on our shores in the name of freedom, just to realize human dignity, just to achieve freedom from the worst system the world has ever seen, that is a system of slavery. And I ask all of us to applaud our ancestors and what they have done to create a better world for us.”
President Ali highlighted Guyana’s strengthened partnerships with African nations, highlighting the vast opportunities for collaboration. He pointed out Africa’s significant role in global resources, stating that the next two decades belong to the continent, urging collective efforts for its prosperity.
Reflecting on Guyana’s multicultural population, President Ali expressed pride in leading a nation of six different ethnic groups, overcoming historical divisions. He emphasized the importance of unity and inclusivity.
President Ali, the Head of State, has been vocal about the need for reparations to be paid to Caribbean states that were major destinations during the cruel and disgusting Atlantic Slave Trade orchestrated by the European countries.
The British were the top leaders in this human misery inflicted by a race who regarded other human beings as inferior to them. Even now, there are some British who are prepared to support the British trade slavery group. Today, the world is witnessing the downfall and decline of the European slave traffickers’ countries.
During an interview on British television in 2023, President Ali emphasized that the slave trading nations had a moral duty to offer reparations to Caribbean countries. The British interviewer was very much against President Ali’s remarks, but President Ali put the interviewer in his place.
Furthermore, the British interviewer was losing his cool against President Ali. Nevertheless, President Ali did not change his temperament or decision that the British enslavers must pay reparations.
One of the enslavers’ families of the former British Prime Minister William Gladstone visited Guyana last year and apologized for their family’s past as enslavers in Guyana and the Caribbean countries.
It is essential to mention that President Obama, during his term of office as President of the USA, did absolutely nothing for the continent of Africa and African people worldwide. He never mentioned the word reparations for enslaved people living in the USA, Caribbean countries, and South America. President Obama was the first Black President of the USA. Hence, this is why Africa does not care much about Barack Obama.
It was previously reported that the honour also recognises President Ali’s commitment to building “One Guyana” by emphasising the need for unity, inclusivity, and shared prosperity, and his strong and principled leadership during the period of heightened tension due to the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
Some of the quotes from President Ali’s speech.
“I come from a very small country of six different people: six different ethnic groups. A country divided by external forces, forces that sought their own selfish interests and used what is the greatest asset of humanity, our differences or ethnicity, as a tool of division”.
“But today, I’m proud to lead a country where the people elected a minority. I am from the minority religion of Islam, and the people of that country elected me as their president,” the President said in a warm address.
The President added that Guyana has been strengthening its partnership with many African nations.
President Ali mentioned, “I will not leave the stage without saying this to all of us tonight. Forty percent of all the gold reserves in the world is in Africa, which sets the gold price.
“Thirty percent of all the mineral reserves are in Africa, and 65 percent of all arable land is here. The following two decades belong to Africa; it is up to ourselves to ensure it happens.”
Today, the continent of Africa has recognized President Irfaan Ali as an honest and decent human being who cares for the people of Guyana and humanity. For the opposition parties in Guyana and a few of their poodles abroad to accuse President Ali and Vice-President Jagdeo of racism is an insult to intelligence and the voters of Guyana.
The voters know that the Opposition parties do not have a single policy to offer the people of Guyana, and the only policy they have is to use racism to attack both the President and Vice- President.
It is essential to point out that the Voters of Guyana know that the Opposition parties have nothing to offer to the voters of Guyana. During the 2024 budget debate, the opposition parties failed miserably to put forward alternative economic policies because they had nothing to offer the people of Guyana.
The African leaders have endorsed the leadership of President Irfaan Ali by honouring him with this prestigious African award, which is a testimony of the excellent work he is doing in Guyana’s multicultural society and the world.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, including some Guyanese diaspora poodles hiding abroad, accusing both President Ali and Vice-President Jagdeo of racism, must now bury their heads in the sand because most Afro-Guyanese came from Ghana originally. The same country, Ghana, has bestowed and honoured President Ali and the people of Guyana with the Global Africa Leadership Award. This must be a massive embarrassment to Aubrey Norton, whose ancestors were probably brought to Guyana from Ghana—the country that has recognized President Ali as a leader to deserve this prestigious award.
This is a clear message from Africa to Aubrey Norton and a few Guyanese abroad that racism accusations do not work in Guyana. The Afro-Guyanese voters know that this is a false and fabricated racism policy to frighten the Afro-Guyanese voters into voting for the PNC party and its allies.
The leader of the Opposition needs to learn that the Afro-Guyanese are intelligent people who are contributing a lot to the country’s economic, social, and political developments, and they do not like to be taken for granted and would not like to associate themselves with his alleged racist propaganda.
Aubrey Norton must stop insulting the intelligence of the Afro-Guyanese community in Guyana.
Finally, Congratulations, Mr. President, for this prestigious award from the leaders of Africa, thus confirming your international reputation.