Pres Ali tells newly accredited UN Rep about Guyana’s commitment to global leadership

Guyana’s commitment to positioning itself as a global leader has recently been emphasized by President Dr Irfaan Ali, on the occasion when he accepted the Letters of Accreditation from newly-appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator Jean Njeri Kamau.
Kamau, on Wednesday, presented her credentials to the Guyanese Leader at State House in Georgetown, signalling the official start of her mandate in Guyana.
During discussions, President Ali told the new UN Representative that his administration is building Guyana with a focus on the country being a global leader on harmony and women and youth empowerment, among other key areas.
According to a post on his social media page, the Guyanese Leader added that his administration would continue to champion democracy; the rule of law; and being a global leader in food, energy, and climate security.
Kamau, a national of Kenya, is replacing Ms. Yesim Oruç, who served in Guyana for three years.
In a statement on Friday, the UN Office in Guyana said Kamau has more than 20 years’ experience in human rights, women’s rights, peacebuilding, institutional development, governance, and development.

Prior to her appointment as the highest-ranking UN Official in Guyana, Kamau served as a diplomat in the Republic of South Africa, in the Kingdom of Eswatini, in the Kingdom of Lesotho, and in Washington, DC.
Before joining the diplomatic service, Kamau worked in multiple roles in the public sector and civil society, including as Country Director for Action Aid International in Kenya and Lesotho, and as the first Executive Director for the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya.
Kamau holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Nairobi and a master’s degree in Democratic Studies from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.
President Ali was in New York as recently as last week, to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at which forum he underscored that the UN has special responsibility for the security of small states which look to multilateralism and the rule of international law to protect them from foreign aggression.
Citing the theme of this year’s UNGA – ‘Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations’ – the Guyanese Leader noted that the UN must continue to be a beacon of hope amidst a turbulent global environment.
“Today we find ourselves in a world where the quest for peace is met with the defiant echo of conflict; where the promise of sustainable development is eclipsed by the dangerous spectre of climate change and food insecurity; and where the dignity of millions of people is trampled upon with impunity,” he declared at that forum. “The future we seek — a future where no one is left behind — demands courageous action. The UN must fulfill its role as a custodian of greater global peace; the foremost promoter of sustainable development; and an unflinching protector of human rights, human dignity, and international law. And since the UN is all of us, this body of nations, this is a collective responsibility for us all,” President Ali had told the UNGA.
Meanwhile, earlier this week, Guyana was among the Ten Elected Members of the United Nations Security Council (E10) who threw support behind UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the UN system.
Guyana, elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2024-2025 period, is the coordinator of E10 for the month of October. (G8)