GEORGETOWN, (PIC)
The President of the Republic of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, announced the collection of over $72 million in donations to provide immediate humanitarian relief to the residents of Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Ali made the announcement during his visit to the Ramadan Village organized by the Islamic Youth Association in Guyana on Saturday evening, under the slogan A Night of Prayer for Global Peace, Guyana, and Palestine, in the capital, Georgetown. The event was attended by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, government ministers, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Shyam Orhurk, and other political and community figures.
President Ali stated, “This represents a historic event for Guyana, where the country has once again demonstrated its commitment to charitable work and humanitarian efforts by involving all segments of the population in making donations for the Palestinian people.”
He added in his speech, “During this night, we have once again strengthened our identity as Guyana. We have reaffirmed what makes us distinct and separate from all other nations. We have reaffirmed that the love and unity of Guyana can be shared and experienced by citizens everywhere else in the world.”
Ali announced that the funds collected will be handed over to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), emphasizing that “our charitable work is not limited to what we do for humanitarian progress; it exists in our policies, words, and speeches. This is what Islam teaches us. Let us ensure that wherever there is injustice in this world, our voices will never be silenced.”
He reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza without conditions, affirming that “this is a genocide; it is the first televised, open genocide in the world. It is no less than a genocide, and it must stop, it must stop unconditionally.” He added, “Through our presence in the United Nations, we will always have a paragraph to speak about Palestine and the injustice it faces.”
UN Coordinator in Guyana, Shyam Orhurk, praised Guyana’s gesture, stating that “the funds collected for UNRWA by the people of Guyana will contribute to alleviating the appalling humanitarian suffering currently taking place in Gaza.” She emphasized that “UNRWA represents the backbone of the humanitarian operation in Gaza, and there is no other entity that has the ability to provide the urgently needed assistance on the scale and scope required by the people of Gaza.”
It is worth mentioning that the government of Guyana provided a financial contribution of $150,000 to UNRWA on February 2nd, coinciding with several countries suspending funding to the UN agency.
Since October 7th of last year, the Israeli occupation forces have been waging a devastating war on Gaza, resulting in over 33,207 martyrs and 75,933 injuries, mostly children and women, according to Palestinian sources.
