President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday concluded his official three-day State visit to Qatar with discussions on air connectivity, education and potential cooperation with Qatar Airways and the Qatar Foundation.
Ali said he met with Qatar Airways Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer Hamad Al Khater to explore the possibility of establishing Guyana as a destination for both passenger and cargo services.
The discussions come as Guyana seeks to strengthen its economic and investment ties with Qatar and position the country as a strategic logistics and storage hub in the Western Hemisphere.
The potential Qatar Airways connection could also support Guyana’s growing commercial links with the Middle East and provide additional opportunities for the movement of passengers and cargo between the two countries.
The President also toured Education City in Al Rayyan, including the 40,000-seat Education City Stadium, which was one of the venues used during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Ali also met with Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Foundation, and toured the Foundation’s campus, also known as the Education Center.
According to Ali, discussions with Sheikha Hind also highlighted the Qatar Foundation’s work in education and its efforts to empower women in Qatar and internationally.
The engagements form part of Ali’s three-day state visit to Qatar, which has focused on expanding bilateral cooperation in investment, energy, food security, infrastructure, technology, education and other areas of mutual interest.
On Tuesday, Ali held official talks with Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, at the Amiri Diwan in Doha.
During those talks, the two leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations, expanding investment cooperation and other areas of mutual interest.
The discussions followed a series of meetings Ali held with senior Qatari officials earlier in the visit.
The President met Qatar’s Commerce and Industry Minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani to discuss opportunities for cooperation in food security, mining, digitisation and infrastructure, as well as ways to strengthen partnerships between the private sectors of Guyana and Qatar.
He also met Qatar’s Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, with discussions including potential collaboration between the Qatar Development Bank and the Guyana Development Bank, as well as investment opportunities.
Energy cooperation was also discussed during a meeting with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad Sherida Al Kaabi.
Meanwhile, Ali’s meeting with Qatar’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie focused on climate change, global biodiversity and potential partnerships involving carbon credits.
The President also met Qatar’s Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs, Ghanem bin Shaheen Bin Ghanem Al Ghanem, with discussions covering education, culture and heritage.
Ali also met with Mohammed Saif al-Sowaidi, Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), shortly after arriving in Doha on Sunday.
QIA is pursuing a US$350 million hospitality and real estate development in Georgetown and is examining other investment opportunities in Guyana. The project, signed in August 2025, is planned for a 30-acre site and is expected to include a luxury hotel, commercial spaces, residential units, sports facilities and public green spaces.
The latest visit follows an April 2026 telephone conversation between Ali and Sheikh Tamim, during which the two leaders discussed opportunities in investment, food security, energy security and technology.
During that conversation, Ali positioned Guyana as an important destination for Qatar based on its geographic and market position, while the Amir expressed Qatar’s interest in expanding cooperation in investment, human capital development, technology, food security and critical infrastructure.
The current visit also builds on Ali’s previous visit to Doha in May 2023, when he held meetings with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari.
During that visit, Ali outlined Guyana’s development plans, including its focus on climate, energy and food security, and highlighted potential Qatari private sector involvement in hospitality, ecotourism, energy services and infrastructure.
Guyana and Qatar established diplomatic relations in 1996, with bilateral ties expanding in recent years through high-level engagements, agreements on economic and technical cooperation, the opening of diplomatic offices and increased Qatari commercial interest in Guyana.
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