President Irfaan Ali, like other PPP Presidents, continues to rack up international prestigious awards; and in so doing, continues to build on Guyana’s international image.
Guyana is proud of this son of the soil, who has come from humble beginnings, with teachers as parents and with grandparents coming out of agriculture and rural farming in Leguan, Essequibo Islands.
On Thursday, April 3, 2025, President Dr Irfaan Ali was conferred with the prestigious Global Leadership Award for Open Innovation (2024) from the University of California, Berkeley; and has become the first Caribbean leader to be so recognized. He was cited for this award because of his commitment to the research and use of technology and innovative business models to expand the country’s markets and its development, and he received the award in a ceremony held at the NASA Ames Research Centre, where the Berkeley Innovation Forum 2025 is currently being held.
I and countless thousands of Guyanese at home and in the diaspora extend congratulations to President Ali on his receipt of this, the latest on his impressive list of international awards. He has done himself, family and country proud.
Previous recipients of the Global Leadership Award for Open Innovation include the following heads of state: Galo Plaza, President of Ecuador (1967); Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (1973); Miguel Echeverría, President of Costa Rica (2001); Pranab Mukherjee, President of India (2015); and Barack Obama, President of the United States (2016).
Other prominent awardees include: Warren Buffett, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway (2007); Janet Yellen, Chair of United States Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System (2014); and Her Excellency and King’s Counsel Patricia Scotland, Sec. General of the Commonwealth from 2015 to this past week (2022).
This latest award by the University of California, Berkeley, a world-renowned institution, adds to the impressive list of international awards that Dr. Irfaan Ali, as Guyana’s President, has accumulated in just about four years. On December 5, 2024, HE President Mohamed Irfaan Ali was awarded by the Wilson Centre’s Latin America Program for his efforts in environmental and biodiversity sustainability, as well as climate action. Since 1998, the Wilson Centre has recognized exemplary individuals with the Woodrow Wilson Awards, honouring them for thoughtful discussion, generous philanthropy, and selfless service contributing to making the world a better place for all of us.
Outside of the University of California, Berkeley Global Leadership Award and the Wilson Centre Award, Guyana’s President has accumulated a long list of prestigious international awards. In July, 2024, in an acknowledgment 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 co-operation.
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 recognized 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.
President Ali has been one of the most-sought-after global leaders by international conferences and universities. He continues to inspire not only people in Guyana, but around the world. No matter what our political affiliation, Guyanese should be proud of what a young Guyanese man who came from humble circumstances has achieved.
When Cheddi Jagan died, people doubted that anyone from Guyana would ever again command the global respect Cheddi Jagan had commanded. Bharrat Jagdeo came and proved, with his many international awards, that Guyana would continue to produce men and women who have, by the strength of their character and their own accomplishments, become ingrained in the citizenry’s consciousness.
Like Bharrat Jagdeo, Dr. Irfaan Ali has shown that Guyana would always find leaders who would work for the success of our country and bring great pride to Guyanese citizens in and out of the country.
The already visible success in the Food Security for Caricom initiative (25 X 25) and the upcoming July 2025 launch of the Biodiversity Alliance in Guyana are likely to further add to the international credentials of President Irfaan Ali. Bharrat Jagdeo was recognized by the UN as the Champion of the Earth in 2010. It is likely that, before he completes his terms serving as President of Guyana, President Ali would become the second Guyanese bestowed with the honour of Champion of the Earth, among many other international accolades yet to be received.