GUYANA recently assumed chairmanship of the Group of 77 countries and China– a prestigious global body– the third highest ranking in designated UN positions, after the post of Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly.

Guyana accepted this coveted leadership for 2020 from Palestine at a solemn and dignified handover ceremony on January 15 at the United Nations building in Manhattan, New York. Writing in his Sunday column, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo had also reported that Guyana’s leadership was hailed as refreshing, and several high officials of the United Nations are encouraging, under our tenure, a “rebirth of the core values” of this huge negotiating bloc within the United Nations.”

Guyana, as a member of the international community, and, as a young nation, has played a significant role in influencing principles and decisions at various fora; not forgetting that it has given leadership to the conceptualising and building of the regional integration process upon which CARICOM has been established. Guyana’s role and influence in the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War need to be remembered. The nation’s presence in that body assisted in shaping the diplomatic message on the world stage, and aided the protection of this country’s sovereignty, in that it was not wedded to the geopolitical dynamics between the East and West, but secured cooperation on issues and principles.

It was this relationship that enhanced the country’s image and brought with it solidarity on several issues that were in our national interest. This positioning resulted in Guyana acquiring significant support in the defence of its borders against claims made by our neighbours– Suriname and Venezuela. The country also benefited from technical support, aid and trade from places like the ABC countries, Eastern Europe, Asia and Cuba.

Our participation in the liberation struggles of Southern Africa was clearly defined by us and effectively articulated at the international level, and this played a significant role in bringing an end to apartheid. That was the period when Foreign Policy was defined and driven by a proficient group of Foreign Service cadres of the ilk of Rashleigh Jackson. Even though Guyana was a young nation, small in size, population and economy, our intellectual prowess was of such that the nation was able to hold its own among others in influencing and developing major strategies on the world stage. International cooperation is premised on universal principles and practices, and the practices will shift based on a nation’s developmental thrust, guided by the principles at the international level.

In recent years, reference has been made to the Green Economy, which has its genesis in a White Paper prepared by a group of British experts in the 1990s. This has since morphed into an international position which describes growth in an economy based on the Human Development Index (HDI). This new model of development has impacted on Guyana. The Green Economy is shaped by three pillars, namely: (i) Environment, (ii) Labour policies consistent with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Core Labour Standards, and (iii) Sustainable development.

Prior to the world embracing this new philosophy, Guyana had distinguished itself as a forerunner. Under the leadership of President H. Desmond Hoyte, Guyana sought to address environmental issues by making Iwokrama available as a model for addressing extraction of our forest and its impact on sustainable development. As the nation continued to play a role in leading the way in defining what the Green Economy entails, note must be taken of President David Granger’s Green State Development Strategy. The GSDS will guide Guyana’s economic and socio-cultural development over the next 20 years. It will lay President Granger and the new coalition Government’s principle foundations for inclusive green economic and social growth, provide a roadmap for achieving sustainable development goals and related targets, and outline a long-term vision for a prosperous and equitable future.

While international institutions and countries engage in cooperation with Guyana consistent with specific interests, this nation, too, shoulders a responsibility to make sure that our national interest is advanced and embraced in shaping international policies and laws.