Guyana elected to two-year term on UN Security Council

Jun 07, 2023 News

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Kaieteur News – Guyana was on Tuesday elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2024-2025.

In a statement, President Irfaan Ali aid is Guyana is honoured and humbled by the confidence that has been expressed by the international community in electing it to this most important position of responsibility on the global stage.

“Guyana has now been accorded the opportunity to serve on the Security Council, which is charged under the UN Charter with the responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is a responsibility that we will assume with utmost seriousness and dedication, mindful of the complex and challenging times in which we live,” President Ali said.

The theme of our candidacy, ‘Partnering for Peace and Prosperity’ serves as a guide to Guyana’s approach to service on the Security Council. “We intend to be a constructive and engaged partner with the members of the Council and the wider international community in the search for solutions to the myriad of momentous challenges that beset our human family. I express our nation’s deep gratitude to the Member States of the United Nations for the overwhelming support extended to Guyana’s candidature. I wish to express my thanks in particular to the dedicated staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to our Permanent Representative and her team at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York for their tireless efforts in advancing our candidature and securing the result which we witness with great pride today,” Ali said.

Ali said the Government of Guyana looks forward to continuing our nation’s contribution to the strengthening of multilateralism and the rule of International Law, to the promotion of peace, sustainable development, human rights and respect for international law both for the people of our own country, and for peoples across the globe.

Meanwhile, in addition to Guyana the UN General Assembly also elected Algeria, Sierra Leone, Slovenia and South Korea to the U.N. Security Council, while Belarus – allied with Russia in its invasion of Ukraine  was denied a spot, Reuters reported. According to Reuters, Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone and South Korea ran unopposed for a spot on the 15-member body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. In the only competitive race, Slovenia beat out Belarus. The five elected nations will replace Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates.

The Security Council is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions and authorizing use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. To ensure geographical representation, seats are allocated to regional groups. But even if candidates are running unopposed in their group, they still need to win the support of more than two-thirds of the General Assembly.

Guyana received 191 votes, Sierra Leone 188, Algeria received 184 votes, South Korea 180. “The Russians have always argued that a lot of states support Ukraine in public at the U.N., but sympathize with Russia in private. But this secret ballot does not support that claim at all,” International Crisis Group U.N. Director, Richard Gowan said. Russia moved ahead last month with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. It is the Kremlin’s first deployment of such weapons outside Russia since the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the A Partnership For National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Parliamentary Opposition welcomed the announcement that Guyana has once again secured a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2024-2025

“The international security landscape presents complex challenges that require concerted global efforts to address. We in the APNU+AFC believe in managing these challenges through the rule of international law and constructive dialogue among nations. Guyana’s appointment to the Security Council provides us with an opportunity to advocate for these principles and contribute meaningfully to the Council’s work,” the political opposition said.

The party expressed gratitude to the dedicated Foreign Service personnel for their efforts in this regard as well as to the international community for their support throughout Guyana’s bid for this prestigious seat.

“We are proud to note that this will be Guyana’s third time serving on the Security Council, having served in 1975-1976 and 1982-1983. We also extend our congratulations to the other elected states, Algeria, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia,” the party said in its statement.

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• Guyana, Partnering for Peace and Prosperity, President Irfaan Ali, UN Charter, United Nations Security Council

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