Qatar to build new stadium in Region Three as gift to Guyana; Pres. Ali hails deepened bilateral relations

By Kurt Campbell

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President Irfaan Ali and his government’s work on diversifying international investment streams in Guyana is paying off but so too is its bilateral relationships with countries where there were little to no exchanges traditionally.

On Sunday, history was made as the foundation was laid for the first private sector-funded project from Qatar; the multimillion-dollar cutting edge Georgetown Seafront Resort and Convention Centre is set to be the country’s largest world-class investment in tourism and hospitality.

Dr. Ali, speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony in Georgetown, thanked the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani for leading the expansion of the relationship between the two countries which led to this massive private investment.

“I would like to thank the Emir himself. He has been leading from the front, the expansion of this relationship,” Dr. Ali said seconds after he took to the podium to give his address.

The next few minutes were spent giving insights into the developing relationship between Guyana and Qatar. And so it was announced by Dr. Ali that Qatar will fund and build a new stadium in Region Three (Essequibo Islands – West Demerara).

“Very soon… with support from the Emir of Qatar, we will turn the sod for a new stadium in Region Three to be financed by Qatar.

“…As a grant and gift of the friendship between the two countries.

“This is testimony to the strength of belief and character that honour the relationship we are building with Qatar,” Dr. Ali said.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1996 but neither had any real diplomatic presence for many years. That changed after Dr Ali took office in 2020.

Since then, there has been a deepening of relations with Dr. Ali visiting Qatar and the Emir paying return visits.

Guyana set up and opened a new Embassy in Doha in 2023 and Qatar’s diplomatic presence has also grown in Guyana with several new agreements between the countries inked for cooperation in a number of areas.

“Since we established a strong focus on other parts of the world and not those we have traditionally focused on investment from, we are seeing tremendous interest and Qatar is one of the countries that has shown remarkable speed in expanding and transforming that interest into reality.

“We are in discussions with Qatar in a number of areas…tourism and hospitality, service, oil and gas, food security, investment and modernization and transformation of the country,” Dr. Ali said.

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Guyana for the first time in September 2023 and after talks with President Ali and other meetings, three new cooperation agreements were signed.

The first agreement related to economic, commercial, and technical cooperation, the second on the promotion and protection of mutual investments, and the third was a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in legal fields.

Guyana continues to have talks with a number of airlines, including from Qatar, to operate the Guyana route.