Guyana has officially taken its seat as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the two-year term of 2024-2025.
The Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, installed the Guyana flag outside the Council chambers at the UN Headquarters in a ceremony attended by the other newly elected members: Algeria, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.
President Irfaan Ali has expressed Guyana’s commitment to being a constructive and engaged partner with the UNSC members and the broader international community.
He emphasized Guyana’s intention to contribute to global prosperity and actively participate in finding solutions to significant challenges facing humanity.
Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett, in a brief statement, highlighted the growing complexity of maintaining international peace and security amid multidimensional challenges.
She stressed the Council’s need to be proactive in addressing potential sources of conflict and comprehensive in responding to existing conflict situations.
Guyana aims for a people-centered approach, involving women and youth in conflict resolution, recognizing the role of conflict as a driver of poverty and underdevelopment.
Guyana’s election as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, with 191 votes in the UN General Assembly in June 2023, marks the country’s third term on the Council, following previous terms in 1975–1976 and 1982–1983.
This achievement underscores Guyana’s growing influence on the global geopolitical stage.