As she addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, expressed her support for Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues- Birkett as the next UN Secretary-General.
“At a moment when the international community is being called upon to renew its faith in multilateralism, we believe that Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett brings to this task the experience, the skills and the understanding to serve the entire membership of this organisation,” Prime Minister Mottley told the UN.
Barbados, like the rest of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has endorsed Ambassador Rodrigues- Birkett for the role. Ambassador Rodrigues- Birkett currently serves as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN and is a frontrunner to replace the current SG, António Guterres, whose term in office will wrap up this year.
If selected, Rodrigues-Birkett would become the first Caribbean national and the first woman to serve as UN Secretary-General. However, her selection rests upon the decision of the UN Security Council, where any of the five permanent members — the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom — can block a candidate.
Earlier Thursday, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali called on countries to support the Ambassador.
“I know personally, and many of you know this too, of the Permanent Representative sitting here in New York. You know her character, her will, her commitment, her love for this world.
“I know this world will be a better place with Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett as the Secretary-General of the UN,” he said.
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
