Guyana has taken over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of June, succeeding Greece. Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett announced that the presidency will prioritize the protection of children in armed conflict, conflict prevention, and international peace and security.
A key event during Guyana’s presidency will be a high-level open debate on June 19, focused on poverty, underdevelopment, and conflict. This session will be chaired by Guyanese President Dr. Mohammed Irfan Ali and will include speakers from the UN and African Union.
Additional discussions this month will cover pressing issues in Syria, Iraq, Central Africa, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen, with attention also on chemical weapons in Syria and illegal Israeli settlements.
Rodrigues-Birkett reaffirmed Guyana’s long-standing support for Palestinian self-determination, emphasizing the country’s foundational role in the UN committee advocating for Palestinian rights.
She stressed that the upcoming conference on Palestinian statehood in New York must deliver real progress: “There can be no security guarantees if an entire people does not have their homeland.”
Guyana will hold the presidency until the end of June, after which Pakistan will assume the role in July.
