Saying that she has acquired the skills necessary to become the UN Secretary General, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the institution, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has pledged to work with the 193 member states of the body and to be open and accessible if elected.
Rodrigues-Birkett, who was nominated for the post on June 12 by President Irfaan Ali, on Thursday delivered her vision statement to the United Nations (UN) in New York and then engaged in an interactive session for several hours.
A late entrant to the race, she pledged, if elected, to deliver on the promise of the UN to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, maintain international peace and security, protect and promote human rights, promote sustainable development, and foster global cooperation”.
She pledged to be proactive in engaging Member States and to use the tools available to her to advance the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, and to ensure that the United Nations is not on the periphery of issues that have global impact.
She contended that an effective Secretary General in today’s context “must possess two essential strengths in my view: discernment and versatility. She must be an administrator, peacemaker, mediator, broker, negotiator, convenor, and spokesperson. More importantly, she must be able to discern which role is most appropriate in any given situation”.
Rodrigues-Birkett said that she believes that she has acquired these skills during the period of her time as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, as an international civil servant and as a Permanent Representative at the UN.
“I do believe that I am ready for the task ahead”, she declared.
Earlier in her presentation, she acknowledged the growing challenges facing the UN.
She said that in the past five years that she has been at the United Nations, she has listened carefully to the perspectives of Member States and engaged with the wider international community on a broad range of issues concerning the United Nations.
“Across these conversations, there is a growing sense of frustration that the UN is not delivering as it should. I was especially exposed to these sentiments during Guyana’s recent tenure on the Security Council.
“At the same time, and in every conversation, I also heard and felt the strong commitment of Member States to make the United Nations truly fit for purpose. Even though we have heard these words many times before, this ambition goes beyond rhetoric”, she stated.
She said that the UN has set global standards on a broad spectrum of issues.
“From decolonization to dispute resolution; from the safety of our skies to regulating our oceans; from poverty reduction to disease prevention, improved access to education, cultural preservation, and humanitarian responses. No country is untouched by the work of the United Nations”, Rodrigues-Birkett asserted.
She added “…I believe in the United Nations. It is indispensable; it is incomparable, and it is a force for global good. It is also though because of my strong belief in the UN that I am compelled to be realistic about its challenges.”
She cited the proliferation of conflicts and crises, the slow pace in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the ongoing liquidity crisis facing the Organization as just three examples of what confronts the institution today. She added that the UN80 reform agenda is an acknowledgement that the UN of today needs to do things differently and better.
“Improving efficiencies in the Secretariat, how the Organization treats with mandates, and the structural alignment of the Organization will together have a positive impact systemwide. And thus, I have presented a vision that builds upon the achievements while responding directly to the challenges we face”, she stated.
She said that the vision centres around reasserting the UN’s core principles and purposes; reforming its systems and practices; and rallying towards the goal of a more agile and effective Organization.
“One that also delivers equally across all three pillars – peace and security, development, and human rights”, she said.
After the interactive session, she spoke to journalists and was asked about what was considered to be her late entry to the race. It was pointed out to her that other candidates had had a head start and had visited key capitals in the bid to win the election
Rodrigues-Birkett said that she did not think her entry was late, noting that the decision required a lot of thought and consultation with family. She said she planned to visit key capitals as well.
Another questioner wondered whether she had decided to enter the race after discerning something missing from the presentations of the other candidates who had appeared at a joint forum as part of their campaigning. Rodrigues-Birkett said that this was not the case.
The other candidates for UN Secretary General are María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador): Former President of the UN General Assembly.
Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile.
Rafael Grossi (Argentina): Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Grossi was nominated on November 26, 2025.
Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica): Head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
Macky Sall (Senegal): Former President of Senegal.
The 15-member UN Security Council will have to settle on a candidate later this year and there must be no veto by any of the five permanent members of the council.
The winning candidate will succeed Antonio Guterres on January 1st, 2027.
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