President Irfaan Ali yesterday made an unusually personal appeal at the UN General Assembly for Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett to become the organisation’s next Secretary-General, urging the Security Council’s permanent members to look beyond the size of the country that nominated her.

Ali first linked her candidacy to his argument that the UN needs leadership capable of restoring trust and defending its Charter at a time of conflict and division.

“Guyana has put forward the candidature of Her Excellency Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations,” he said. “She has served her country, represented the developing world, and worked within the multilateral system with a deep understanding of both its promise and its imperfections.”

He said the next Secretary-General must be able to bridge differences between rich and poor countries and between large and small states, while defending the UN Charter “not only when it is politically convenient, but precisely when its principles are under pressure”.

Ali then departed from a conventional account of her qualifications to speak about her life and character.

“An indigenous woman coming from a small indigenous village, defying the odds—the odds against indigenous persons, the odds against women, the odds against poverty—defying every challenge and rising to the top amidst those challenges,” he said. “Her character is built on struggle, sacrifice, and commitment.”

He told delegates that fellow permanent representatives at the UN knew her “character, her integrity, her will, her commitment, her love for humanity”.

“And I know that this world will be a better place with Carolyn Rodrigues as the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” he said.

“In the humblest of ways, I call on the P5, the Security Council, and every member here to look beyond the small country that nominated her,” Ali continued. He pointed to CARICOM’s endorsement and asked that she be given the opportunity to help shape the UN’s future.

As Ali spoke about Rodrigues-Birkett, the video shared on his Facebook page panned to Ministers Deodat Indar and Ashni Singh and Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud seated next to her and clapping loudly. 

The speech was of added significance because of a reported US objection to her candidacy. According to The New York Times (NYT) Washington opposes Rodrigues-Birkett over her characterisation of Israel’s actions in Gaza.  The NYT  reported that the United States had signalled it would veto her. 

The Security Council must recommend a candidate to the General Assembly, and any of its five permanent members—the United States, Britain, France, China or Russia—can prevent a recommendation by using a veto.

Three informal Council straw polls have so far failed to establish a clear front-runner. Former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan led in two, while Rodrigues-Birkett led in one. Earlier this year, Rodrigues-Birkett delivered her vision statement and told member states that she would be open and accessible if chosen to lead the organisation.