UNGA President lauds Guyana’s representation of C’bean at UN as “outstanding”

– says Guyana commands attention of world at UN

Guyana’s representation of the Caribbean at various forums of the United Nations, including the Security Council, has been lauded as outstanding by the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis; who, fresh off his arrival in Guyana for a three-day visit, hosted a press conference on Saturday.
Guyana is currently halfway through its first year as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), but, according to Francis, whose term as UNGA President is drawing to a close, Guyana has represented the Caribbean well at the security council.
Francis has even lauded Guyana’s Presidency of the council. Guyana, through its Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, held the Presidency in February 2024.
“There’s only one word to characterize it: outstanding! Guyana made us all very proud, as Caribbean states in the United Nations, in the way in which Permanent Representative Caroline Rodrigues-Birkett conducted herself as a member and in the Presidency of the General Assembly, because the Presidency rotates every month. So, there was a month in which she was actually in the chair,” Francis expressed.

According to Francis, the strength of small island developing states is not in their military might, but rather in their ability to put forward cogent arguments. He made it clear that Guyana did just that at the levels of the UNSC and the UNGA.
“During the Presidency, and for the entire period she’s been there, when Guyana opened its mouth, everyone listened; because what was being put forward was of such substance and depth that it could not be ignored,” he added. “So, we were all lifted and proud of the work that the Guyanese mission, Ambassador Birkett and her team, have done that has made it clear to everyone that small countries have big contributions to make to international peace and security and the debates around these issues. We do not have arsenals in our part of the world; our arsenals are our words,” he expressed.
During his time in Guyana, Francis met and had talks with President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, among other officials. He also visited the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), whose work he praised.
In January of this year, Guyana took its seat as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term, 2024-2025. In June 2023, Guyana was elected to the UNSC – becoming one of five new non-permanent members for the term. This will be Guyana’s third time serving on the Council, following terms in 1975-1976 and 1982-1983.
Guyana’s candidacy was uncontested, being the sole candidate for a single seat available to Latin America and the Caribbean Region, where it garnered the highest vote count at 191 out of 192.
The United Nations Charter has established six main organs of that entity, including the Security Council, which is given primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Its functions and powers are mainly to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations. It is also tasked with investigating any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction; recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement thereof; formulating plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments; determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression, and to recommend what action should be taken among others.
In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions, or even authorising the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security. Temporary members hold their seats on a rotating basis by geographic region. Guyana will serve a two-year term on the Council from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. (G-8)