“Huge accomplishment for Region” – Deputy Caricom SG as Guyana seeks UNSG seat, host COP35

…Trinidad and Tobago joins Global Biodiversity Alliance

Deputy Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Dr Armstrong Alexis, has lauded Guyana’s bid for the United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG) post as well as the country’s efforts to secure the hosting rights of the 35th United Nations annual Climate Change meeting, Conference of the Parties (COP35), in 2030.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom in St Lucia on Wednesday, Dr Alexis said these ambitious moves by the Caribbean Member State would augur well in positioning the region on the global stage.
“If Guyana gets to host COP in 2030, that’s going to be a huge accomplishment by a Caricom Member State. If we succeed in electing a Caricom national as the Secretary General of the United Nations, that is going to be a huge accomplishment for this region,” the Caricom Deputy SG stated.
Already, he pointed out that for the first time, the Caribbean has been able to occupy the seat of the Secretary General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) in the person of Ambassador Albert Ramdin.
Ramdin, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, and International Cooperation in Suriname, assumed the helm of the OAS in May 2025, succeeding former Secretary General Luis Almagro. His election to the office marked a historic milestone, as he became the first representative from a Caricom Member State to lead the organisation.
According to the Caricom Deputy Head, the Caribbean region over recent years has been positioning itself amongst the international community.
“We are Small Island Developing States, but we are not islands without the capacity, without the capability, without the intelligence to be able to stand amongst the best and the brightest in this [world],” Dr Alexis posited.
Similarly, Guyana’s international profile has been exploding due to its rapidly growing economy-backed by a burgeoning oil and gas industry coupled with the country’s increasing leadership presence in a number of areas globally, such as climate change and food security.

UN Secretary General candidacy
These were the premises on which President Dr Irfaan Ali announced on June 12 that Guyana would be seeking the UNSG seat and had nominated former Foreign Affairs Minister and current Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, for the position. The tenure of the current UNSG, Antonio Guterres, will end on December 31, 2026.

Since then, Ambassador Rodrigues has embarked on a global campaign to push her candidacy among major leaders and organisations. In fact, during the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting in St Lucia, she appeared alongside President Ali on Tuesday to address regional leaders on her vision and candidacy for the top UN post.
According to a post on President Ali’s Facebook page, “Her presentation received strong support, with several Member States endorsing her nomination – another significant milestone as our campaign continues to gather regional momentum on the international stage.”

Bid to host COP35
Meanwhile, it was revealed back in March that Guyana is looking to secure the hosting rights of COP35 in 2030 – a move that Caricom is already backing.
In fact, Guyana’s bid for the COP summit was revealed in a communique following the 50th Caricom Heads of Government Conference held back in February in St Kitts and Nevis. During that last meeting, regional leaders indicated their support for Guyana’s hosting bid.
“Heads of Government agreed to support Guyana’s bid to host COP35 in 2030,” the communique detailed.
The location for the annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties meeting is determined through a rotation system among five recognised UN regional groups – Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Other Groups.
Usually, members of the designated group consensually determine which country within that geographic location would make an offer to host the conference. The interested country will then submit a bid which is deliberated on and decided by the parties at the annual COP meeting.
Following the hosting of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, last year, it was decided that COP31 would be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November this year. However, while Turkey will serve as the host country, Australia will lead the negotiations and advance the interests of the Pacific.
Additionally, Ethiopia has been officially selected to host the 32nd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP32), which is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa in 2027.
Meanwhile, India has formally proposed to host the 33rd Conference of the Parties (COP33) in 2028. There is currently no specific host country to host COP34.

T&T joins Biodiversity Alliance
Guyana’s bid to host the COP35 in the next five years comes as the country continues to play a leading role in global climate discussions, including participation at the annual COP summits.
President Dr Irfaan Ali attended COP30 in Brazil last November, where he bemoaned the lack of progress and speed in achieving the global climate goals and presented a series of solutions to world leaders gathered in Belém that would accelerate progress.
The Guyanese leader is also leading the charge when it comes to biodiversity conservation and protection through the Global Biodiversity Alliance – an initiative launched in July 2025 to accelerate international financing and technical expertise to conserve the world’s diminishing biodiversity resources.
Since its launch a year ago, the Alliance’s membership has grown significantly from 17 signatories to now approximately 130, with Trinidad and Tobago being the latest member alongside other countries and institutions, including the United Nations.
The Twin-Island Republic joined the Guyana-led international coalition on the side-lines of the Caricom Heads of Government Meeting in St Lucia, which both President Ali and Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Kamla Persad-Bissessar attended.
President Ali welcomed Trinidad and Tobago’s membership, describing it as another important step in expanding regional and international cooperation on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
The alliance aims to strengthen biodiversity financing and support the global goal of protecting 30 per cent of the Earth’s land and oceans by 2030.