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During the meeting the Guyanese President receives Al Zeyoudi, affirms commitment to expanding UAE economic partnership as both officials reviewed opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations. President Mohamed Irfaan Ali welcomed the UAE delegation and outlined his government’s priorities for sustainable economic development beyond the oil sector. The two sides explored collaboration in agriculture, energy, tourism and digital infrastructure with an emphasis on practical outcomes from the discussions.
Emirates News Agency reported that Al Zeyoudi conveyed personal greetings from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reiterated the UAE’s interest in building long-term ties with Guyana. The minister described Guyana as an increasingly important partner in the Caribbean region and pointed to shared goals in economic diversification. Al Zeyoudi emphasised the role of private-sector engagement in turning identified opportunities into concrete projects.
UAE Ministry of Foreign Trade data shows the country’s non-oil foreign trade exceeded one trillion dollars in 2025 with a 27 percent year-on-year increase that outpaced global averages. This expansion forms part of a deliberate strategy to sign comprehensive economic partnership agreements with nations across multiple continents. The ministry has actively targeted emerging markets in Latin America and the Caribbean to broaden its network of trade and investment links.
World Bank figures place Guyana’s average annual GDP growth above 30 percent in recent years driven largely by offshore oil production that began in 2019. President Ali has repeatedly stated that the windfall must support broader development objectives including infrastructure modernisation and human capital investment. The government has sought partnerships with experienced international players to accelerate progress in non-oil sectors.
The Office of the President of Guyana stated that a technical cooperation memorandum signed with the UAE in 2021 established the foundation for ongoing dialogue across development fields. Subsequent exchanges have maintained momentum on issues ranging from food security to renewable energy. Officials from both countries have expressed satisfaction with the steady advancement of those initial commitments.
Private-sector representatives from the UAE and Guyana attended the July 2 discussions and pinpointed several promising areas for joint investment. Follow-up business-to-business meetings are expected to focus on agro-processing facilities, aviation connectivity and pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities. Both delegations agreed to schedule a dedicated trade mission in the coming months to advance the most viable proposals.
