— Minister Teixeira reaffirms Guyana’s commitment to peace, democracy and global cooperation

AS the world marked United Nations (UN) Day on October 24, the United Nations in Guyana opened its doors to the public for a special UN House Open Day Exhibition and Health Fair, held at its Duke Street, Kingston headquarters.

The event, which was held on Friday, provided an opportunity for citizens to engage directly with various UN agencies operating in Guyana and to learn more about the organisation’s mission to promote peace, sustainable development, human rights, and global co-operation.

The exhibition featured booths from several UN bodies, highlighting their local and global contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Delivering remarks, UN Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Jean Kamau, noted that this year’s observance carries special significance as the UN celebrates 80 years globally and 59 years in Guyana.

She remarked that the UN has grown in Guyana, in size, scope and the services it provides to Guyanese.

Representing the Government of Guyana, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, reaffirmed the country’s long-standing support for the principles of the UN and its global peace agenda.

She affirmed that Guyana stands very firmly with the UN on the issue of post-unilateralism, that we are for peace and security, and that we believe strongly that we cannot have development unless we have democracy and peace.

Minister Teixeira said, “And of course in the last few years, Guyana has taken the lead in the climate justice, climate action, and of course you know the Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, she represented the Guyana Government in creating the new youth office for UN, which was an important intervention in terms of recognising that the majority of the population in the world is young, and that they should have a voice at the UN.”

The Minister assured that Guyana remains a firm believer that the UN role, after the Second World War, and even more so today, is more critical in terms of being the moral compass for the world. Minister Teixeira said we are here to support the UN and ensure that in this period, the UN is as effective as possible.

The UN has several agencies in Guyana, these are: the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), IFAD, the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Trade Centre (ITC), the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN ECLAC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), among several other entities.

Along with the Open Day was a health fair, which was organised with the Ministry of Health to offer basic health screenings, wellness information, and tips for healthy living. These included doctors’ consultations, vital checks, adolescent health, vaccines for yellow fever, HPV, eye testing, and other key areas.

General Practitioner (with a focus on Mental Health), Dr. Roshanna Edwards-Foster, who represented the Ministry of Health, said they distributed health vouchers from the Ministry, and also had a booth dedicated to vector control.