On November 26, President Bharrat Jagdeo took over the mantle as President of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), succeeding his predecessor Ecuador’s President Rafael
Correa, at the 4th Regular Summit of UNASUR held in Guyana. This marked another historic occasion for Guyana as once again the country is put in the limelight, but this time in the South American continent.
No doubt the expectations of his fellow South American Heads are high, as his leadership capabilities have become internationally recognized.
Leadership provides the foundation for a successful and purpose-driven organization or country. A good leader possesses vision and the will to follow it despite the challenges.
Guyana’s leader President Bharrat Jagdeo is one who possesses these qualities and his determination in pursuit of his visions has catapulted him to the top.
From Junior Minister of Finance, he swiftly climbed the ladder and became Guyana’s youngest President at age 35 in 1999.  His stature as an international statesman continually
increased over the years as he pursued astute financial and climate change policies for which he is now widely recognized.
His prudent financial management preserved Guyana’s economic stability even when other countries crumbled under pressure from the global financial crisis.
It is therefore no wonder that South American giants like Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, Brazil’s Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva, and outgoing President Rafael Correa of Ecuador
can attest to his outstanding leadership capability.
The Brazilian President, extending best wishes to President Jagdeo, challenged him to continue to advance the work of the organization that was started by his outgoing
counterpart.
“I believe (President) Jagdeo that you will know how to conduct the work of integration of all the South Americans and according to the aspirations of our people,” President
Lula Da Silva said.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez also expressed confidence in President Jagdeo’s ability to move the organization forward.
“We know about the will of President Jagdeo and also of the Guyanese people; we are certain that (President) Jagdeo, in taking the reins (of UNASUR), is going to be a masterful
chairman, he is going to lead us with objectivity and with concrete actions. We are with Guyana and we are with UNASUR,” President Chavez stated.
The Ecuadorian President is also confident of the capability of President Jagdeo to fulfill the expectations of the organisation’s membership. He pledged his country’s full
support.
“I wish you the best in the year ahead, President Jagdeo. You can count on all the support that we can give you so that you can better deliver what you need to be doing towards
a consolidated and better UNASUR,” he affirmed.
Accepting the chair, President Jagdeo emphasised that the system of rotating leadership demonstrates that the organization is not built on historical alliances, but on a set of
shared progressive values, chief among which is the belief that all countries should be treated equally, despite their individual characteristics.
He committed to ensuring that Guyana’s presidency of UNASUR is successful.
The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) was conceived by the need for South to South cooperation and integration in an age when foreign policy was highly centered on
relations with North America and Europe.
Born in 2004 and constituted in 2008 by 12 South American leaders, this young organization has to undergo different stages of development before reaching maturity, and just as
important as parents are to a child’s development and maturity, so are the leaders of UNASUR whose responsibility is to nurture this young organization and provide the quality
of leadership that is needed to sustain it and bring it to maturity.(GINA)