Guyana has championed United Nations initiatives for 60 years – Govt on membership

…says UNSG nomination a tangible demonstration enduring belief in UN

Guyana has reaffirmed its commitment to the United Nations (UN) as the country celebrates 60 years of membership, pledging to continue being a partner in the global quest for peace and prosperity.

On September 20, 1966, Guyana was admitted as a Member State during the 21st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Commemorating this milestone achievement, the Guyana Government in a statement on Sunday affirmed the nation’s faith in the UN, and its hope to be “an active rather than a sleeping member” of the global organisation. “Guyana has championed United Nations initiatives promoting sovereign equality, equal rights, self-determination, and people-centred development,” the missive stated. “As we celebrate this 60th anniversary milestone, the Government of Guyana expresses our profound appreciation for the supportive role of the Organisation, including the UN country team, in our country’s pursuit of peace, development and democracy.” In fact, the Government posited that diplomatic activism has been a hallmark of Guyana’s engagement with the UN and the international system writ large. “We recognised in the United Nations the embodiment of the collective aspirations of the world’s people for a most just, equitable and democratic international order. This recognition was born of our own struggles for self-determination. It was also an acknowledgement that multilateralism and collective action were imperatives to effectively confront the challenges facing our world community,” it noted. In the six decades since its admission to the premier international organisation, Guyana has engaged actively and constructively in the work of the UN, in support of peace and security, development, human rights and the rule of International Law. Throughout, it said the country has maintained a principled and purposeful approach. “From the very beginnings of our tenure Guyana was entrusted with positions of leadership and responsibility,” the Government noted. This leadership, it recalled, started with membership to the Council for Namibia tasked with concluding the process of decolonisation of that territory. Moreover, Guyana engaged the major causes of its time such as the struggles against colonialism and apartheid, for a more just international economic and social order especially for small states and for disarmament and nuclear nonproliferation, among others.

Principles of non-intervention
Additionally, the country has benefited from the principles of non-intervention and peaceful settlement of disputes. Through strong advocacy and action, it has also been a leader in addressing the existential climate crisis. Over the years, Guyana, through its representatives, has served across the spectrum of UN organs and activities, including as President of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Guyana also served on two occasions as Chair of the Group of 77 and China, the principal developing country grouping in the UN. However, in its 60th year of UN membership, Guyana has nominated one of its most distinguished daughters, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, to occupy the high office of Secretary-General. According to the Government, “This nomination is a tangible demonstration of Guyana’s enduring belief in the UN and its ideals and of the equal opportunities offered to all Member States in this family of nations regardless of their size.” In a June 12 announcement, President Dr Irfaan Ali had put forward Guyana’s candidature for the top UN office. Current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres will end his second five-year term on December 31, 2026. Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett, a former Foreign Affairs Minister and current Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN, is among seven candidates now vying for the position at the helm of the global body. Initially, there were eight candidates but after Friday’s latest informal straw poll by the UN Security Council (UNSC), former President of Chile and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, withdrew her candidacy. Based on international reports, results from the third straw poll placed Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, who current serves as head of the UN Trade and Development body, in the lead with nine encouraging votes, five discourage votes and one no opinion. Guyana’s Rodrigues-Birkett is following narrowly behind with eight encourage votes, six discourage votes and one no opinion. These results followed the second straw poll in August during which the Guyanese Ambassador came out in the lead with eight encourage votes, three discourage votes and four no-opinion votes. Grynspan had placed second in that round of straw poll with seven encourage votes. In the first round of voting by the 15-member Security Council held in July, Rodrigues-Birkett had finished just behind Grynspan after she ended with 9 encouraged votes, two discouraged votes and four no opinion votes. In the first straw poll, Grynspan had led the field with 10 encourage votes, one discourage vote and four no opinions. The other candidates in the race for the UNSG office are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Macky Sall of Senegal, Olara Otunnu of Uganda, and Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador. A candidate needs votes from a least nine of the 15 members in the Security Council in order to be recommended for the position. They must also avoid a veto from any of the five permanent Security Council members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (UK) – before a final vote in the General Assembly. Friday’s straw poll comes as world leaders are gearing up to attend the 81st session of the UNGA from September 22 to 28 in New York.