President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday evening launched Guyana’s national gold and jewelry brand, “El Dorado Reimagined,” alongside the unveiling of a limited-edition commemorative medallion to mark the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary.
The initiative, unveiled at a special ceremony attended by government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, miners, jewelers and private sector representatives, forms part of government’s wider push to move Guyana beyond the export of raw materials and into value-added manufacturing and luxury branding.
Addressing the gathering, President Ali said the country is seeking to transform Guyana’s gold sector into a globally recognised industry built on craftsmanship, authenticity and national pride.
“We are repositioning ourselves to transform our natural resources into world-class products and global luxury brands,” the president declared.
The commemorative medallion, one of only 500 limited-edition pieces, was produced using 100 percent Guyanese gold that was mined, refined and minted locally for the first time in the country’s history.
“History is being written in this room. Mined in Guyana by Guyanese hands from Guyanese soil. Refined in Guyana in a Guyanese facility to international standards. Minted in Guyana, struck with Guyanese precision for a Guyanese milestone,” President Ali said.
The Head of State said the launch signals a major shift in how Guyana positions its gold industry internationally, with a stronger emphasis on refinement, jewelry manufacturing, branding and export of finished products rather than raw gold.
“For decades, Guyana has done what so many resource-rich nations have done. We dug, we washed, we poured and we waved goodbye,” he said.
The President stressed that Guyana’s ambition is not only to move higher up the value chain, but also to establish a globally competitive luxury brand capable of standing alongside internationally recognised jewelry markets.
“We must build a globally recognizable brand. We need a brand that says, this is Guyana’s gold. This is heritage,” he said.
According to President Ali, the “El Dorado Reimagined” brand will eventually be marketed internationally through Guyana’s embassies and diplomatic missions, including duty-free outlets in major global markets.
“We must unleash the creative capital of our goldsmiths and craftsmen. We must encourage jewelry designing.We must support small craftsmen and we must market brand, not as a budget option, but as a treasure, rare, rooted, and real. We have begun this process. It will take time, but the work and the planning and the positioning have already commenced,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said the launch also demonstrates government’s commitment to strengthening Guyana’s traditional productive sectors alongside the country’s growing oil and gas industry.
“Guyana is not an oil and gas economy. Oil and gas is just a means to where we want to get,” Minister Bharrat said.
He added that the initiative creates new opportunities for local artisans, manufacturers and small businesses while promoting Guyanese craftsmanship on the international stage.