AI, climate resilience and military diplomacy key to Guyana’s defence strategy – President Ali

– during opening of Annual Officers’ Conference

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has called on the leadership of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to integrate artificial intelligence (AI), climate resilience, and military diplomacy as key pillars of its defence strategy.

In his opening address at the 2025 Annual Officers’ Conference on Thursday at Base Camp Ayanganna, President Ali stressed that a modern defence approach is essential to addressing rapidly evolving security threats.

The Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces believes these recommendations are important in assessing the GDF’s readiness, strategic positioning, and capacity to respond to national and regional threats.

“You, the GDF leaders, have an obligation at this conference to reflect on your responsibilities, strengthen the army’s resolve, and chart a course that ensures the GDF remains a capable, agile, and forward-thinking institution prepared to protect our people and our nation,” President Ali stated.

He highlighted Guyana’s vulnerability to climate change, rising wildfires, hurricanes, and extreme weather patterns that threaten national security and regional stability.

This is even worsened by existing tensions between states with scarce resources such as water, land, and energy which intensify natural disasters. These disasters can displace the population leading to internal instability that disrupts national security.

Within this context, the president said the GDF must incorporate climate resilience and disaster response into its strategic planning and boost its capacity to aid its regional counterparts in disaster response efforts.

“By integrating climate resilience and disaster risk management into strategic planning and operations, the GDF can play a pivotal role in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate-related disasters, protecting our people and ensuring the stability of our nation in the face of an uncertain and changing climate situation,” he said.

The president pointed out that the future of military strength and response will be built on the foundation of technology and AI.

He explained that the country’s strength will be evaluated on human resources, physical assets, and its ability to innovate and integrate technology and AI.

To achieve this, he stated “There are some important issues that we must evaluate. Sovereignty must be expanded beyond our geographic space. We must have a critical evaluation as to the sovereignty of our data and information, and the sovereignty of our technology. These are all added challenges that a new global environment holds for us.”

President Ali said the defence force must intensify intelligence gathering and leverage technology to counter transnational threats.

Important to this, he noted, is the strengthening of partnerships with regional and international security agencies to disrupt criminal network operations.

“These operations must never seek a welcoming home in Guyana. We must disrupt at every opportunity so that they would understand that they have no place in Guyana,” the president emphasised.

Meanwhile, the dedication and skill of Guyana’s military personnel were acknowledged by President Ali, who expressed confidence in their capabilities to defend and protect the nation’s interests.

He said the strength of the force lies in its people.

Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan also delivered remarks, highlighting confidence in the force’s capacity to detect threats and defend the territorial integrity of Guyana.

The two-day conference is themed, “Transforming the force to better confront the nation’s present and future challenges by enhancing its Awareness, Adaptability and Agility Capabilities.”

Discussions will centre on operational strategy for 2025, with a strong focus on integrating combat support and combat service support units to optimise national defence.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn and heads of the joint services were among the dignitaries present.