Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett. Photo: Loop News

Guyana, Algeria, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia. were elected to serve in June last year, and they are replacing Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates who ended their terms on December 31 last year.

Five permanent members sit around the iconic horseshoe table in New York, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The ten non-permanent members, selected to provide regional balance, are elected by the General Assembly which is made up of all 193 UN Member States.

France serves as president of the Security Council for the month of January, and it is expected that the Israel-Palestine crisis and war in Gaza will continue to be a prime focus for ambassadors.

Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, installed the Guyana flag alongside those of other Security Council members outside the Council chambers.

In a brief statement, Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett said her country recognises that the task of maintaining international peace and security is growing increasingly complex with multidimensional challenges and, that the Council is, therefore, compelled to be proactive in addressing potential sources of conflict, and comprehensive in its response to existing conflict situations.

She said that Guyana will seek a people-centred approach, including the involvement of women and youth in the search for solutions, ever mindful that conflict is a driver of poverty and underdevelopment and therefore inimical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The theme of Guyana’s participation in the Security Council is “Partnering for Peace and Prosperity”.

Guyana said its tenure on the Security Council will be rooted in a firm commitment to multilateralism and guided by the priorities of climate change, food insecurity and conflict; peacebuilding and conflict prevention; women, peace and security; protection of children in armed conflict; and youth, peace and security.

Georgetown said in keeping with these priorities, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country has endorsed the “Joint Pledge on Climate, Peace, and Security” and joined the “Statement of Shared Commitments on Women, Peace, and Security”.

This will be Guyana’s third time serving on the Council following terms in 1975 – 1976 and 1982-1983.