Press Release: President Ali calls for shift from declaration to investment at second Biodiversity Summit

— Membership expands to 149

His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali called for a fundamental shift in biodiversity conservation, proposing fiscal incentives which he said will attract investment in activities that protect nature and generate sustainable economic rewards.

He made the call at the opening of the second Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) Summit at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Friday.

The Head of State posited that the conference is more than another international forum for declarations and commitments. He said the priority now is the implementation of practical mechanisms to translate commitments into investment and lasting protection.

“The Global Biodiversity Alliance is not another international forum to discuss the importance of nature… it must show how we turn commitment into investment, investment into opportunity, and opportunity into lasting protection for nature.”

This year’s summit is being held under the theme “Investing in Nature: Accelerating Biodiversity Finance for Sustainable Development”.

During his address to hundreds, President Ali also advocated for biodiversity conservation to play a greater role in national economic development, including through financial mechanisms that reward the preservation of natural resources. To this end, he challenged biodiversity-rich countries to move beyond declarations and generate solutions that can support economic growth and prosperity.

Over the next 12 months, President Ali said he wishes to see initiatives connecting scientific knowledge and innovation, the unlocking of finances and investments, and implementing projects that can demonstrate how conservation can support livelihoods and national development.

“…This is what this Alliance is; your work, your commitment, would allow us to move to the practical solutions… An actionable framework, that is what is critical. Identifying the development gaps that are associated with biodiversity and creating that actionable framework. This is the call to action. And we hope that in doing so, we can make our contribution to solving global problems.”

In leading from the front, the President said Guyana is committed to conserving one million hectares of forest for biodiversity conservation. The initiative will support scientific research, sustainable livelihoods, responsible investment and economic opportunities.

Lauding Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), he said it is a model example which has proven that conservation efforts can generate economic rewards. He also highlighted that under the initiative, Guyana has been successful in mobilising more than US$500 million through its carbon credits sale with Norway and the international community since its conceptualisation. Beyond securing a market, he said the sale has led to positive, community-led economic growth. Over 3,000 community-led projects are supporting community development and livelihoods.

Beyond Government-led initiatives, the Guyanese Leader said conservation also presents new and exciting opportunities for the global private sector.

Through partnerships and collaboration, he said the expertise of the private sector can unlock new business opportunities in tourism and medicine, mechanisms for financing, innovative research and science, and the bridging of financing gaps, among other areas. These, he noted, will propel efforts and offer rewards for conservation.

“I want to ask the private sector from all of the countries of our alliance so far, maybe to come together and create an investment vehicle where we can have biodiversity resorts across each one of the destinations, and we create a marketing model where we market it as one brand, one brand with common values, common regulation, and a common platform. This is a massive private sector opportunity that we can explore together, bringing opportunity to the villages, the communities, and to our countries on a different scale.”

President Ali, who has spearheaded global conservation efforts, underscored that philanthropy and global commitment to conservation alone will not bridge financing gaps. He added that biodiversity-rich countries must be rewarded for their commitments.

“That is why we chose finance to be at the heart of this summit… we need to advance practical ways to mobilise investment, create economic opportunities for countries and communities that protect biodiversity, and make conservation an integral part of economic development.”

Established in July 2025 with 17 founding members, the Alliance has now grown to 149 members. Major countries including China, India, France, Colombia, the United Arab Emirates, and Panama, along with the Desert Vipers, the first global sports team, are part of the Alliance.

Additionally, President Ali announced that the headquarters of the GBA will soon be constructed in Georgetown, Guyana. The headquarters design was unveiled and will house the Secretariat and serve as a centre for learning, research and advancing the Alliance’s work. The building design was conceptualised through a collaborative effort of the Qatar Foundation and The King’s Foundation.

President Ali disclosed that with a permanent Secretariat in place, the work of the GBA can advance significantly. He said commitments will be translated into actionable work.

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