Mohamed Irfaan Ali, born on April 25, 1980, is the current President of Guyana, having served in the role since 2020. He recently claimed victory in the general election held on Monday, September 1st, positioning him for a second term.
Ali's early life was rooted in Leonora, a village in the West Coast Demerara region of Guyana, where he was born into an Indo-Guyanese Muslim family with both parents working as educators. His maternal ancestors hailed from a village in Uttar Pradesh, India, tracing back several generations. He attended Leonora Nursery and Primary schools before completing his secondary education at St. Stanislaus College in Georgetown. Ali holds a doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies. He also obtained a master's degree in Human Resource Planning Development from the National Institute of Labour Economics, affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in New Delhi. In 2023, the same university awarded him an Honorary Doctorate. Additionally, he holds degrees from the University of Sunderland, Anglia Ruskin University, and the University of Salford.
Ali's political career began in 2006 when he became a member of the National Assembly of Guyana. He held ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Housing and Water and Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce. During his tenure as minister, he sometimes fulfilled the functions of President and Prime Minister. In 2015, his party, the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), moved into opposition, during which time he chaired the Public Accounts Committee and co-chaired the Economic Services Committee of the Parliament of Guyana.
In 2020, Ali became the presidential candidate for the PPP/C. Despite facing accusations regarding his academic qualifications and land sales during his time as minister, which his lawyers dismissed as politically motivated, he won the March 2020 general election. He was sworn in as President on August 2, 2020, after legal challenges and a recount. At the age of 40, he became the second-youngest person to be appointed or elected president of Guyana.
Guyana has seen staggering economic growth, becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, thanks to a boom in oil production. Production is slated to reach 1.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2027. This has allowed Ali to boost spending on infrastructure and social programs. However, he faces the challenge of reducing poverty, which remains high despite the oil boom. According to a 2024 report, 58 percent of Guyanese lived in poverty, even though the state budget has quadrupled since oil production began in 2019.
On the international stage, Ali has positioned himself as a staunch defender of Guyana's territorial integrity, particularly concerning the Essequibo region, which is claimed by Venezuela. He has embraced closer defense cooperation with the United States.
Ali has described the relationship between India and Guyana as a "bond of blood". This statement reflects the deep-rooted cultural and historical connections between the two nations, particularly through the large Indo-Guyanese community, which constitutes over 40% of Guyana's population. He has emphasized Guyana's commitment to working with India to defeat terrorism and extremism. Ali has also expressed hope for increased Indian participation in Guyana's development, especially in technology and digital products and reaffirmed Guyana's support for India's bid for a permanent seat on an expanded United Nations Security Council. Guyana and India have ongoing cooperation in agriculture, energy, healthcare, technology, and defense.
