Guyana votes in favour of UN resolution against racism – Permanent Rep

– confirms that Guyana sponsored resolution on behalf of G-77

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has reminded that Guyana’s vote that went in favour of a 2020 UN resolution against racism, in fact, played an integral role in sponsoring the resolution.
In a statement over the weekend, Rodrigues-Birkett explained that Guyana voted in favour of the resolution when it was adopted in the UN General Assembly last year. This comes following reports that Guyana did not, in fact, support the resolution.
“It has been brought to my attention that circulating on social media is the assertion that Guyana voted against the United Nations resolution entitled “A global call for concrete action for the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,” she said in her statement.
“This is completely false and cannot be further from the truth. As Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, I wish to confirm that Guyana voted in support of the resolution when it was adopted in the General Assembly.”
She explained that Guyana was the main sponsor of the resolution, as the country at the time held the Chairmanship of the G-77 and China, an intergovernmental group within the UN that comprises developing countries.
“Guyana introduced and voted in support of the resolution… indeed, as Chair of G-77 and China, Guyana was the main sponsor of the resolution and, jointly with South Africa, facilitated the negotiations for this resolution in the Third Committee,” Rodrigues-Birkett said.
“The resolution was introduced by the representative from Guyana in the Third Committee on November 19th, 2020, who reminded the Committee that 2021 would mark the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and, as such, the G-77 and China had presented substantive changes to the resolution aimed at commemorating this important milestone.”
She also noted that Guyana had made clear the seriousness with which the Government regards racial discrimination, while sponsoring the resolution. According to her, the G-77 regarded the opportunity presented by the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.
“It (resolution) constitutes a holistic agenda that encompasses measures to improve education and awareness, to fight poverty and marginalisation, and to secure inclusive development. Its relevance is further strengthened by the recognised nexus between combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
“The Group considers that in the forthcoming commemoration, greater attention should be given to the issues affecting People of African Descent. The International Decade for the People of African Descent and the adoption by consensus of the programme of activities for the implementation of the Decade is an integral part of the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action,” Guyana had said at the time of the resolution.
According to the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Guyana invited delegations to co-sponsor and vote in favour of the resolution once their statement was concluded. Additionally, she noted that the automatic generation of the vote as shown on screen in the room at the time of voting is not the final official record of the meeting.
“It goes without saying, that Guyana, as the proponent of a resolution, would not have voted against our own resolution,” Rodrigues-Birkett said in her statement.
Meanwhile, this publication did checks of its own. According to the Third Committee report on agenda item 70 of the 75th session, available in the UN’s data library on its website, Guyana indeed voted in favour of the draft resolution on November 19. The resolution was carried by a recorded vote of 124 to 12, with 44 abstentions.
Voting against the resolution were Australia, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Slovenia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.