President Ali receives Government of Roraima’s highest award

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been conferred with the Order of Merit Fort São Joaquim, the highest honour of the Brazilian state of Roraima, in recognition of his role in strengthening economic relations between Guyana and Brazil.

In his acceptance speech, President Ali described the award as a “singular honour” bestowed not only on him personally, but on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana. He said the recognition symbolises the growing partnership between Guyana and Roraima, and reflects a shared commitment to cooperation across borders.

The president noted the historical and symbolic importance of Fort São Joaquim, which he said represents resilience and the strategic value of frontier regions as spaces of connection rather than division. He said such symbolism is especially relevant at a time when economic collaboration is critical to sustainable development.

Ali pointed to Roraima’s emergence as a dynamic economic frontier, citing progress in infrastructure, agriculture, energy initiatives and cross-border trade. He said Guyana is undergoing its own period of rapid economic transformation, driven by new investments and a focus on inclusive and sustainable growth, creating opportunities for deeper bilateral engagement.

According to the president, the parallel development paths of Guyana and Roraima can accelerate trade and investment, particularly in agriculture, transport and logistics, energy cooperation, and the freer movement of goods, services, and people.

He also underscored Brazil’s wider role in advancing South American–Caribbean integration, describing the country as a natural partner for Guyana because of its economic scale, technical capacity and regional leadership. In a global environment marked by rising protectionism, Ali said stronger South–South cooperation is essential to ensure developing countries are not marginalised in global trade.

Reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to closer ties with Brazil and Roraima, the president said his government remains focused on removing barriers to trade, improving connectivity, and creating an enabling environment for private sector engagement.

President Ali concluded by saying the honour reinforces the responsibility of leaders to build bridges and pursue cooperation, expressing confidence that relations between Guyana and Roraima will continue to deepen in the years ahead.