Guyana’s Ambassador tells world leaders to trust her with impartial, sound peacekeeping solutions

…hopes UN bid inspires girls to reach top leadership

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the body, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, hopes that her candidacy for Secretary-General (SG) of the world peace body inspires girls and women globally to participate actively at the highest levels of decision-making processes.

“This position is not just about me; it’s about showing young girls that they belong in the highest offices of international leadership. If they can see me here, they can imagine themselves here too,” she said in a recent interview as she underscored that her candidacy is a collective opportunity and carries significance beyond her personal journey.

With the UN in its 80 years existence not having a female as leader, Rodrigues-Birkett said that women have been the backbone of diplomacy, peacebuilding and humanitarian work and yet, too often, they are absent from the top, and as such her candidacy will be a symbol of correcting that imbalance.

As the race for the next SG of the United Nations (UN) intensifies, Guyana’s UN envoy continues to make an impression on the world stage. The latest straw poll showed that she is a marginal second only to Costa Rica’s Vice President (VP), Rebeca Grynspan in the seven-person race, following the withdrawal of former Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet. This secret poll by the 15-member Security Council was conducted a day ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders in New York this week where President, Dr Irfaan Ali, is also likely make a final push in support of Rodrigues-Birkett.

Santa Rosa “formed me”

Crediting the people of her small indigenous village of Santa Rosa, Region One (Barima-Waini, for giving her the opportunity to participate from an early age and for shaping her into the woman she is today, Rodrigues-Birkett, says she is confident that she can get the job done. “In terms of my village, Santa Rosa, this is what formed me. This is the place that formed me as a young girl, my teachers there. And as I go through this period, I think about all those people who’ve played one role or the other, because I don’t believe that anyone is self-made. People had to help us along the way. We had to put in the work, but people had to help us,” she said.

“I think about my little internship that I had, just after school with Mary Williams at the time, teaching me how to type, teaching me how to dress for an office, reminding me that you don’t do your hem with white thread on a black skirt. And also, when I would look at her and how she would speak in a meeting, so brave. And I wanted to be like her. When I remember my teachers that passed, Bridget Daniels, Victor Ferreira, all of these people, they always would choose me to do a welcome when there’s somebody coming into the village…,” she added.

The Government of Guyana was also praised, especially former President Bharrat Jagdeo, for believing that a young woman from one of Guyana’s indigenous villages could be a Minister in his Government, appointing her first as Minister of Amerindian Affairs and later supporting her as Foreign Affairs Minister. “And then when I think about (President (Bharrat) Jagdeo, who didn’t even know me, giving me the chance to be a Minister of Amerindian Affairs, making me wet my feet in politics and [look] at where that has led me. There’s so many, many people [to thank],” she said.

The UN Ambassador said that she has received many good luck messages from persons not only in her village but other indigenous communities and the country “Many of them have sent me messages, feeling proud that I’m a Morucan girl but Guyanese generally.” “It’s been a really humbling experience so far,” she expressed.

Perseverance & commitment to equity

Serving at home and at the FAO and UN among others, Rodrigues-Birkett said that she has gained special skills which she can use, should she be elected and reasoned that her career trajectory, is demonstrative of perseverance and commitment to equity. “I’m very conscious that experience is not equivalent to expertise, (and it’s not equivalent to good application, but experience certainly helps. I am a candidate that came from the field, working with the social impact amelioration programme (SIMAP) in the indigenous communities of Guyana. That gave me the full field experience, not just implementing projects, but the challenges that we faced back then,” she said, adding “I also realised then that some of the issues we faced in the indigenous communities, that they were structural.

For example, when we wanted to build a school in a particular place, there were times when the land was not owned by the community and so you had to go through a long process of getting that approval to build that school, given the situation of the land.” “Then I got the opportunity to enter politics, where you would deal with legislation, where you would deal with the structural issues, I took that opportunity with both hands…then, of course, in foreign affairs…the diplomatic experience there.”

Impartial & sound peacekeeping solutions

Guyana’s Permanent Representative wants all 193 world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting this week to know that their countries can trust her to provide impartial and sound peacekeeping solutions, although voting by the Security Council is later this year. Then on January 1, 2027, when the current SG steps down, she hopes that indomitable indigenous woman from the small and peaceful country of Guyana gains the confidence of the 15-member Security Council to carry on the execution of the peace organsiation’s work in the capacity of UNSG.

“If I did not serve on the Security Council, I would not put forward myself, because the pillar of peace and security is, in some ways, this is what the UN was formed for… the UN was formed in the ashes of World War II, and to prevent the scourge of war, to prevent another world war. But development and human rights cannot be ever divorced from peace and security. So, the three pillars of the UN are very important,” she said.

Further, she added, “So I bring field, political, and don’t forget my parliamentary experience; my diplomatic experience and my technical experience as well…I bring quite a wide range of skill sets.” The five Security Council veto powers – the United States (US), China, Russia, France, and Britain – will have the final say on a candidate to take over. Once a candidate is chosen, the UN Security Council will eventually formally make the recommendation to the 193-member General Assembly for election.