The Indian Prime Minister was bestowed with highest civilian honors as he wrapped up a busy three-nation tour.
Georgetown: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India and Guyana have struggled to achieve their independence from colonization, while asserting that both countries believe in the creed of 'Democracy first, humanity first’.
“Democracy teaches us that everyone should be treated equally and everyone should be taken on board while ‘humanity first’ determines the direction of our decisions. When we make ‘humanity first’ the basis of our decisions, the results are also in the interest of humanity," PM Modi said while addressing the Special Session of the Guyanese Parliament during his visit to the South American country on the third and final leg of his three-nation tour.
He said when India and Guyana gained freedom, the world faced different challenges, and today, in the 21st century, the challenges are entirely different. "The systems and institutions created after World War 2 are now being destroyed. While the world was supposed to move forward towards a new world order, countries got tangled up in other things. In these situations, the most powerful mantra to move forward for the world is ‘democracy first’, ‘humanity first’," PM Modi said in his address.
He added that there is no greater medium than democracy to create an inclusive society, adding that democracy is in India’s DNA. “The democracy is in our vision and in our behavior. So when it came to uniting the world, India gave the mantra of one earth, one family, one future during its G20 Presidency. When the Corona crisis came, a challenge came before the entire humanity, then India gave the message of one earth, one health."
The Indian leader further asserted that this is not a time for conflict for the world but this is the time to identify the conditions that create conflict and remove them. "Today there are so many challenges like terrorism, drugs, cybercrime… only by fighting them we will be able to shape the future of our coming generations," he said. The prime minister also had a "productive" trip to Nigeria, where he held bilateral talks with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and interacted with the Indian community.
Guyana, Dominica confer Modi with top awards
PM Modi was conferred with Guyana’s highest civilian honor, 'The Order of Excellence', by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, for his visionary statesmanship, championing the rights of developing countries on the global stage, exceptional service to the global community and for his commitment to strengthening India-Guyana relations.
While accepting the award, PM Modi dedicated the honor to the people of India and the deep-rooted historical ties between the people of the two countries. He emphasized that his state visit is a testament to India's continued commitment towards deepening India-Guyana friendship.
He expressed his gratitude to President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica for conferring the 'Dominica Award of Honour' upon him. "This honour is dedicated to my sisters and brothers of India. It is also indicative of the unbreakable bond between our nations," PM Modi said.
India-CARICOM Summit
Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of nations expressed their gratitude to India and PM Modi for becoming the voice of the Global South and putting the concerns of the Caribbean nations on the world's agenda. PM Modi assured them of continued help and cooperation when the region and the Global South have been hit hard by the new challenges the world is facing.
CARICOM's Chairman Dickon Mitchell said, "I express on behalf of all of CARICOM citizens, our deep gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and the government and great people of India for India's proactive and influential role in championing the ideals and aspirations of the Global South."
Prior to reaching Guyana, PM Modi wrapped up his trip to Nigeria, where he engaged in fruitful bilateral talks with President Tinubu. During this visit, Nigeria awarded the Prime Minister its top distinction, the 'Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger' (GCON).
PM Modi earlier said that the leaders at the G20 Summit “deepened global collaboration” for a better future. At the G20 summit in Brazil, he presented India’s progress in overcoming poverty and fighting climate change and offered to share the country's expertise.
