Guyana’s Candidate for UN Secretary General, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has explained that statements attributed to her about the Israel’s war in Gaza, were statements made on behalf of Guyana and its Government.

In a recent broadcast interview, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Secretary General Candidate, was asked about reports that the United States may be planning to block her candidacy owing to her description of Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide”.

She reminded that despite that position, Guyana was overwhelmingly elected to the UN Security Council and spoke up whenever there was a violation of international law or the UN Charter.

“Every word that I uttered was uttered for my country and for my government and the government of Guyana remains the same government right now that was there for the last two and half years when I served on the Security Council and we were elected of a 181 of a 192 votes in the General Assembly and that is a resounding mandate to a country like Guyana going on the Security Council and we took that very seriously and so in every situation where there was a violation of international law and a violation of the charter Guyana spoke about this,” ,Ms Rodrigues- Birkett noted.

She said  she would not be in the race for UN Secretary General if she was aware that one of the recent “discouraged votes” in the Security Council straw polls came from one of the five Permanent Members who have veto powers.

Two weeks ago, the New York Times reported that the U.S intends to use its veto power to block Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett.

Guyana’s nominee for the position has been trailing behind Costa Rica’s former Vice President, Rebecca Grynspan, who has won the two latest straw polls.

“I think I have made my case, to the world, to the Security Council Members and coming from the point of view of needing, what I see the UN needs in a Secretary General, one who is realistic, one who is pragmatic, one who would get up every day with the drive to move forward with the processed of reform, to work together with member states to advance peace and security, development and human rights. It is up to the Security Council now to determine what type of Secretary General they are looking for and I leave that to them,” Ambassador noted.

Despite the concerns of a possible veto of her candidacy, Ms. Rodrigues-Birkett said she feels good about the race.

“I feel good, I think that the Council will probably move to get the  process moving a bit faster because this last two sets of straw polls you had a shorter period between them and I think it will move to a stage where it is more definitive, But as it is right now I am sort of enjoying this experience, there is not many people who have been through this experience, its a very interesting and intriguing one.,” Ms. Birkett said.

She described the race as a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for the Caribbean, pointing out that if the Caribbean fails to secure the position, it may need to wait another fifty years for a chance to lead the multinational agency.

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