Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett makes case to become first Caribbean woman to lead UN
Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Photo: UN)
Key Points(5)
- Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is making the case for a historic appointment as United Nations Secretary-General, saying her candidacy could break an 80-year barrier for women while giving the Caribbean its first leader of the global body.
- Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s permanent representative to the United Nations, was nominated by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali in June and has since received the endorsement of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government.
- The United Nations formally listed her among the candidates on June 15.
- If selected, she would become both the first woman and the first Caribbean national to serve as UN Secretary-General.
- “Nine men have served as Secretary-General in the UN’s 80-year history.
Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is making the case for a historic appointment as United Nations Secretary-General, saying her candidacy could break an 80-year barrier for women while giving the Caribbean its first leader of the global body.
Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s permanent representative to the United Nations, was nominated by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali in June and has since received the endorsement of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government. The United Nations formally listed her among the candidates on June 15.
If selected, she would become both the first woman and the first Caribbean national to serve as UN Secretary-General.
“Nine men have served as Secretary-General in the UN’s 80-year history. This means half of humanity – women – have never had the opportunity to serve,” Rodrigues-Birkett said as she highlighted the significance of her candidacy.
She argued that appointing a woman would carry significance beyond symbolism by demonstrating to women and girls that the UN’s highest office is within their reach.
“Appointing a woman Secretary General will send a clear message to the men and women of this world that the day of the next half of humanity has finally arrived,” she said.
Rodrigues-Birkett has also performed strongly in informal straw polls conducted by the 15-member UN Security Council.
She received nine “encourage” votes, two “discourage” votes and four “no opinion” votes in the first round. In the second poll in August, she secured eight “encourage” votes, three “discourage” votes and four “no opinion” votes, giving her the highest number of encourage votes among the candidates in that round.
The straw polls are part of the Security Council’s process of assessing candidates. The next secretary-general must ultimately be recommended by the Security Council before being appointed by the UN General Assembly.
Rodrigues-Birkett has also emphasized the regional significance of her campaign, noting that no Caribbean national has previously served as UN Secretary-General.
Her candidacy comes as several contenders from Latin America and the Caribbean seek the post. The UN selection process includes candidates from Guyana, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Argentina and Senegal, among others.
Rodrigues-Birkett has argued that the current selection presents an important opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean under the informal practice of regional rotation. She has said the region could wait decades for another opportunity if successive secretaries-general serve two five-year terms.
As part of her campaign, the Guyanese diplomat has called for a more agile and effective United Nations capable of responding to conflict, humanitarian crises, climate change, development setbacks and rapid technological advances.
During an interactive dialogue with UN member states in June, she described her approach as “principled, pragmatic and responsive,” while arguing that the organization must adapt as global challenges evolve.
Rodrigues-Birkett previously served as Guyana’s minister of foreign affairs and has held several senior diplomatic positions.
Her campaign has received support across CARICOM, with regional leaders formally endorsing her candidacy in July. Jamaica has also publicly expressed its support for her bid.
The selection process will determine who succeeds António Guterres when his second term ends on Dec. 31, 2026.
