-says she has the required experience, skills, understanding for role

PRIME Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, has made clear her country’s full support for Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in her quest to become the next United Nations Secretary General.

Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Mottley told the gathering that Barbados stands firmly behind the Guyanese diplomat’s bid to lead the world body.

Speaking to world leaders Mottley stated, “Barbados joins its sister member states in the Caribbean community in pledging its full support for the candidature of Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana.” She added, “At a moment when the international community is being called upon to renew its faith in multilateralism, we believe that Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett brings to this task the experience, the skills, and the understanding to serve the entire membership of this organisation. Indeed, Mr. President, I believe that others think so too.”

Her comments follow similar sentiments made days earlier by President Dr Irfaan Ali, who also used his address to the General Assembly to call on world leaders to back the Guyanese candidate.

Describing Rodrigues-Birkett as a person of “extreme quality” whose leadership would benefit the world, Dr Ali urged the UN Security Council’s five permanent members and other member states to look beyond Guyana’s size and rather at the Ambassador’s character, experience and commitment instead.

“I know that this world will be a better place with Carolyn Rodrigues as the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” the Bajan leader told the assembly, noting that CARICOM had already endorsed her candidacy. He called for the UN to be renewed rather than abandoned over its imperfections, and for an organisation where international law restrains power and co-operation overcomes division.

Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN and a former Guyanese foreign minister, was nominated by President Ali in June and formally listed among the field of candidates on June. She introduced her platform to member states at an informal dialogue later in June, presenting herself as a pragmatic, principled reformer and noting that no woman has ever led the UN in its 81-year history. CARICOM endorsed her bid in July, naming her the region’s candidate.

She has since emerged as one of the race’s two frontrunners, alongside former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan. Grynspan led the first Security Council straw poll on July 30, before Rodrigues-Birkett edged ahead in the second poll on August 21. Grynspan reclaimed a narrow lead in the third poll on September 18, with nine “encourage” votes to Rodrigues-Birkett’s eight, leaving the two as the clear frontrunners among candidates still in the race.

Rodrigues-Birkett has used her campaign and the sidelines of this year’s General Assembly to meet foreign ministers. The Security Council must agree on a single nominee to recommend to the 193-member General Assembly for formal appointment. Current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s second term ends on December 31, with his successor due to take office on January 1.