Irfaan Ali facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mohamed Irfaan Ali
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Ali in 2020
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| 10th President of Guyana | |
| Assumed office 2 August 2020 |
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| Vice President | Bharrat Jagdeo |
| Prime Minister (also First Vice President) | Mark Phillips |
| Preceded by | David A. Granger |
| Minister of Housing and Water | |
| In office 7 January 2009 – 20 May 2015 |
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| President | Bharrat Jagdeo Donald Ramotar |
| Prime Minister | Sam Hinds |
| Preceded by | Harrinarine Nawbatt |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Bulkaan |
| Chairman of the Caribbean Community | |
| In office 1 January 2024 – 30 June 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Roosevelt Skerrit |
| Succeeded by | Dick Mitchell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 April 1980 Leonora, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana |
| Political party | People's Progressive Party/Civic |
| Spouse |
Arya Ali
(m. 2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | St. Stanislaus College |
| Alma mater |
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| Awards | Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (2023) |
Mohamed Irfaan Ali was born on April 25, 1980. He is a politician from Guyana and currently serves as the tenth President of Guyana. He became president in 2020.
Ali is a member of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). Before becoming president, he was the Minister of Housing and Water from 2009 to 2015. He is the first Muslim person to hold the office of President in Guyana. He is also the second Muslim head of state in the Americas, after Noor Hassanali of Trinidad and Tobago.
Ali was a member of parliament (MP) and a cabinet minister until 2015. In 2020, he became the presidential candidate for his party. He won the March 2020 general election. He was sworn in as Guyana's tenth president on August 2, 2020. This happened a few months after his win because there were legal challenges about the election results and a recount of all votes.
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Early Life and Education
Mohamed Irfaan Ali was born on April 25, 1980. His parents, Bibi Shariman Neshaw and Mohamed Osman Ali, were both educators. He grew up in Leonora, a village in the West Coast Demerara region of Guyana. He also spent many of his younger years on Leguan.
Ali attended Leonora Nursery and Primary schools and Cornelia Ida Primary. He finished his high school education at St. Stanislaus College in Georgetown, Guyana.
He has a doctorate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies. He also holds several master's degrees, including one in Human Resource Planning Development. In 2023, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University.
Political Career
Early Roles in Government
Ali became a member of the National Assembly of Guyana in 2006. He was appointed as the Minister of Housing and Water. He also served as the Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce.
During his time as a minister, Ali sometimes acted as president or prime minister. In 2015, his party, the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), became the opposition. During this time, he led the Public Accounts Committee in the parliament.
Becoming a Presidential Candidate
Irfaan Ali was chosen as the presidential candidate for the People's Progressive Party (PPP/C). This was for the March 2, 2020 general elections in Guyana. He was selected on January 19, 2019.
During his campaign, Ali faced accusations about his academic qualifications. He also faced accusations related to land sales from his time as a minister. His lawyers stated these accusations were politically motivated. The accusations were later dismissed.
Campaign Promises
In his 2020 campaign, Ali focused on improving Guyana's economy. He talked about creating 50,000 new jobs over five years. He also promised to make Guyana's new oil industry transparent and fair.
Ali committed to setting up a special fund for oil money. This fund would be protected from political interference. He wanted to make sure Guyana followed global standards for its oil industry.
Presidency
Foreign Policy
As president, Mohamed Irfaan Ali has worked on Guyana's relationships with other countries.
Working with the United States
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In September 2020, President Ali and the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a joint statement. They announced that Guyana and the U.S. would start joint patrols at sea. These patrols would help stop drug trafficking near Guyana's border with Venezuela. This agreement came as oil companies were increasing oil production off Guyana's coast.
Views on International Events
In April 2024, President Ali spoke about the events in the Gaza strip. He described Israel's actions there as "nothing short of genocide".
Honours and Awards
President Ali has received several important awards:
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman
In 2023, the Government of India gave him the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award. This award recognized his contributions to "Politics/Community Welfare" and his achievements both in India and abroad.
Order of Freedom of Barbados
In 2023, the Government of Barbados awarded him the Order of Freedom of Barbados. This was to recognize his strong efforts to improve cooperation and integration in the Caribbean region. He was honored for his work on food and nutrition security and for helping the people of Barbados and the region.
See also
In Spanish: Irfaan Ali para niños
- Islam in Guyana
