Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s nominee for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, addressed questions during an interactive session, emphasizing that peacekeeping efforts must be underpinned by political solutions. She stated, “Whether we’re doing a traditional peacekeeping, a certain type of enforcement operation, it must be a means to an end, a means to a political solution, giving a space for a political solution to move forward.” This statement was made during her dialogue with member states.
Rodrigues-Birkett has previously led Guyana’s recent membership in the UN Security Council. In response to an inquiry from the Dominican Republic, she noted that member states would need to evaluate various proposed models for peacekeeping operations. She acknowledged the challenge of maintaining the “high standards” of the UN in any of these models, particularly in light of the Dominican Republic’s proximity to Haiti, where numerous UN peacekeeping missions have been deployed over the years.
Currently, a UN Security Council-backed 5,500 Gang Suppression Force is being deployed to Haiti. Rodrigues-Birkett, who has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN and is a former foreign minister, indicated that if she is appointed as UN Chief to succeed Antonio Guterres at the end of December 2026, she would explore various options for peacekeeping.
Additionally, she shared her vision for human rights and proposed the idea of payment plans for UN member states with outstanding dues. As a former director at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), she also committed to ensuring balanced recruitment of staff within the UN.
Source: demerarawaves.com
