Guyana’s Ambassador leads 2nd round of UN Security Council straw poll

After finishing second in the first straw poll in July, Guyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, ended in the lead in the second United Nations Security Council (UNSC) straw poll earlier this week, securing the highest number of “encourage” votes among the candidates.
According to reports, Rodrigues-Birkett received eight encourage votes, three discourage votes and four no-opinion votes to come out in the lead of the second round of voting by the 15-member Security Council. The result placed her ahead of Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, who received seven encourage votes, four discourage votes and four no-opinion votes. In the previous straw poll 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. In this round, while Rodrigues-Birkett’s encourage votes declined by one, Grynspan’s fell by three, allowing the Guyanese candidate to emerge with the highest number of encourage votes in the field. Rodrigues-Birkett and Grynspan are among a total of eight candidates currently vying to become the next UNSG. The next UNSG will assume office on January 1, 2027, succeeding António Guterres. The Security Council began its formal consideration of candidacies on July 30, 2026. The other candidates are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Macky Sall of Senegal, Olara Otunnu of Uganda, and Ivonne A-Baki of Ecuador. A-Baki is the newest entrant being nominated earlier this month August. Candidates have been participating in the General Assembly’s interactive dialogues before the Security Council began its selection process. Women currently make up five of the eight candidates, a notable feature of a race in which the UN has never had a woman SG in its 80-year history.
Among the men, Argentina’s Grossi is the highest leading male candidate. In the first straw poll Grossi ended with seven encourage, two discourage and six no opinion votes. In the second straw poll he ended with seven encourage, six discourage and two no opinions.
However, winning a straw poll does not mean that a candidate has been selected as SG. The Security Council must ultimately agree on a candidate to recommend to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The straw poll is an informal, non-binding vote used by the 15 members of the UNSC to gauge the level of support for candidates seeking to become UNSG. Rather than immediately holding a formal vote, Council members indicate whether they “encourage,” “discourage,” or express “no opinion” on each candidate. The poll is done behind closed doors and by secret ballot. However, a candidate ultimately needs at least nine votes from the 15-member Council and, critically, must avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), France, Russia and China.
President Dr Irfaan Ali in June nominated Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett to succeed the UN’s current SG, António Guterres, whose tenure ends on December 31, 2026.
Ali stated that Rodrigues-Birkett brings the depth of experience the office demands. She has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020 and led the country’s participation during its historic Security Council tenure. In the 80 years since the founding of the UN, there have been nine SGs, but a woman has never held the post. If successful, Rodrigues-Birkett would make history as the first woman ever elected to serve as SG of the UN since the organisation was established in 1945. She would also be the first Caribbean national to hold the position. Prior to her current post, Rodrigues-Birkett served as Director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva from 2017 to 2020. She previously served as Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2015 and as Minister of Amerindian Affairs from 2001 to 2008.