UG students urged to defend multilateralism, uphold international law

Guyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has urged students of the University of Guyana (UG) to defend multilateral cooperation, uphold international law and contribute ideas to strengthen the global organisation.

Rodrigues-Birkett delivered the message virtually on Saturday during the opening of a Model United Nations Simulation, which brought together students, United Nations (UN) representatives, members of the Diplomatic Corps, senior university officials, members of the media and other invited guests.

According to a post published on Sunday by the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN, the Ambassador outlined five key areas that should guide discussions on the future of the global body.

She stressed that the UN remains essential at a time when global crises require collective action, while international law, including the UN Charter, provides the foundation for advancing peace, security, development and human rights.

Rodrigues-Birkett also underscored the need to protect multilateralism and diplomacy through inclusive cooperation, respectful dialogue, negotiation, compromise and consensus-building.

On the question of institutional reform, she said changes to the UN are necessary to improve how its agencies, funds and programmes deliver results at the local level. The ambassador also highlighted the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) governance, noting that global discussions must balance innovation with concerns about employment, human creativity, safety and unequal access to the technology.

She encouraged the students to engage critically with global issues, defend multilateral cooperation and study proposals for UN reform.
Rodrigues-Birkett further challenged them to contribute fresh ideas on how the organisation could better serve the people and communities that depend on it, while advancing a more peaceful, inclusive and sustainable world.

She thanked UN Resident Coordinator Jean Kamau and UG for inviting her to address the gathering. The simulation provided students with an opportunity to engage with the work of the UN and gain practical exposure to multilateral diplomacy.

Rodrigues-Birkett’s engagement with the students comes as she competes for the position of UNSG, which will become vacant when current SG António Guterres completes his second term on December 31, 2026.

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN is among eight candidates seeking the position. In a recent Security Council straw poll, she received eight votes of encouragement, six votes of discouragement and one no-opinion vote, according to international reports.
The selection process requires a candidate to secure at least nine votes from the 15-member Security Council while avoiding a veto from any of its five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

During a recent discussion at the Stimson Centre, Rodrigues-Birkett defended Guyana’s position on Palestine during its 2024–2025 tenure on the Security Council, maintaining that the country would speak out whenever atrocities were committed or international law violated.
She also argued that the next SG should be guided by the UN Charter and international law, a position she reiterated in defending her approach to the Council’s work.

President Dr Irfaan Ali has also appealed to the Security Council’s permanent members to support Guyana’s candidate, highlighting her nomination and endorsement by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) during his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.

In 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.

Rodrigues-Birkett has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020. In that capacity, she led Guyana’s participation during its Security Council tenure and played a key role in advancing the country’s positions on issues relating to international peace and security. 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.