GUYANA’S candidate for United Nations Secretary-General, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, continues to maintain a strong position in the race to become the world body’s next leader, following the latest informal poll of the UN Security Council.
According to a recent report published by the Reuters news agency, Rodrigues-Birkett received eight “encourage” votes, six “discourage” votes and one “no opinion” vote during the third secret straw poll conducted by the 15-member Security Council on Friday.
Reuters noted the poll was held ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders for the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where the selection of the successor to current Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to remain a key diplomatic issue.
Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was formally nominated by Guyana earlier this year for the position. Her candidacy was subsequently endorsed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government. She is among eight candidates currently being considered to succeed Guterres, who will leave office at the end of this year after serving two five-year terms.
Former Costa Rican Vice President, Rebeca Grynspan, recorded nine “encourage” votes in Friday’s poll, along with five “discourage” votes and one “no opinion.” Rodrigues-Birkett’s eight “encourage” votes place her among the two leading candidates in the latest stage of the selection process.
Among the other candidates, Uganda’s Olara Otunnu, a diplomat and former UN Under-Secretary-General, received five “encourage” votes, seven “discourage” votes and three “no opinion” votes. Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Director General of the UN nuclear watchdog, also received five “encourage” votes, alongside eight “discourage” votes and two “no opinion” votes, while former Senegalese President, Macky Sall, recorded five “encourage,” nine “discourage” and one “no opinion” vote. Moreover, Former Ecuadorian Foreign and Defence Minister and former UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa received three “encourage” votes, six “discourage” votes and six “no opinion” votes. Former Chilean President and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet received one “encourage,” 11 “discourage” and three “no opinion” votes, while Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne Baki recorded no “encourage” votes, with 10 “discourage” and five “no opinion” votes.
Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy has also placed emphasis on the possibility of a woman leading the United Nations for the first time, the Reuters report noted. In its more than 80-year history, the organisation has never had a female Secretary-General. Her candidacy also carries significance for the Caribbean, with Guyana putting forward a senior diplomat from the region for the highest leadership position within the UN.
Rodrigues-Birkett has, in recent weeks, continued her diplomatic outreach as the General Assembly gets underway. The Guyanese diplomat has also identified development financing as a key priority, arguing that developing countries need greater access to resources to support national development amid high borrowing costs.
The Security Council’s informal straw polls are part of the process used to assess the level of support for candidates before the Council eventually recommends a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly. The final selection will require agreement among the five permanent members of the Security Council, namely the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom. The latest straw poll is expected to be followed by further rounds as Security Council members continue consultations before a formal recommendation is made.
