GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali has set a 2030 deadline for the monetisation of Guyana’s natural gas resources, pressing partners in the Stabroek Block to accelerate plans that would support the transformation of the Berbice region into a major industrial and innovation hub.
Speaking at the inaugural Berbice Development Summit on Monday, President Ali said the government intends to move decisively on utilising the estimated 17 trillion cubic feet of gas discovered offshore, as part of Guyana’s broader push to diversify its economy and expand manufacturing and energy capacity.
“I am not willing to push monetisation beyond 2030. Constitutionally, I have an election in 2031, and I can’t run again. I’m not leaving this decision for anyone after me,” the president said, stressing the need for urgency and collaboration between the government and ExxonMobil-led consortium partners.
The president outlined a series of large-scale infrastructure projects aimed at unlocking Berbice’s economic potential, including a new Berbice River Bridge, a four-lane highway from Moleson Creek to New Amsterdam, twin canals modelled on the Hope Canal, and a Corentyne River Bridge linking Guyana with Suriname.
“These transformative projects will open up Berbice as a logistics and industrial hub that connects Guyana to Suriname and Brazil,” Ali said, adding that all major works are targeted for completion within five years.
While welcoming private-sector participation, the president called on the Stabroek Block partners to “deliver” on their commitments, emphasising that oil and gas development must translate into long-term opportunities for local communities.
Industry analysts have described the 2030 target as ambitious, noting that gas monetisation will depend on the alignment of infrastructure, regulatory readiness, local capacity and financing. “Setting a firm deadline signals confidence, but it also puts pressure on the system to synchronise policy, investment and execution,” one Georgetown-based energy analyst said.
President Ali said ideas generated at the Berbice Summit will feed into the 2026 Guyana Energy Conference, where the government expects to advance final investment decisions. He also reaffirmed that gas development will remain tied to Guyana’s wider goals of clean energy transition, regional integration, and equitable growth.
“Gas must not only power industries — it must power people’s lives,” the president said. “That is the ultimate measure of success.”