Guyana’s candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has called for sustained international support to help Haiti recover from its ongoing crisis, saying the country’s challenges require a coordinated, long-term response.
Speaking during the Regional Dialogue on the Future Leadership of the United Nations, in its capacity as Pro Tempore President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Rodrigues-Birkett said Haiti’s recovery must extend beyond restoring security to include economic revitalisation, environmental restoration and support for communities affected by violence.
Drawing on her experience as Chair of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on Haiti and her involvement in negotiations surrounding UN Security Council Resolution 2793, she stressed the importance of Haiti and member states fully implementing the measures outlined in Resolution 2793.
‘The wider implementation would involve accompanying Haiti for a number of years, given the depth of the challenges that are facing Haiti,’ Rodrigues-Birkett said.
She said rebuilding Haiti also requires reviving the country’s economy, restoring degraded forests to improve resilience against natural disasters and supporting children affected by gang violence.
Rodrigues-Birkett also highlighted the role regional organisations can play in Haiti’s recovery, pointing to CARICOM’s political engagement over the past two years and calling for closer cooperation between the United Nations and regional bodies.
The Guyanese diplomat also continued her campaign for the post of UN Secretary-General, presenting what she described as a vision for a more responsive, effective and collaborative multilateral system.
As part of that effort, she met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez to discuss her candidacy and exchange views on the future of multilateralism and the challenges facing the United Nations.
During the meetings, Rodrigues-Birkett outlined her vision for a United Nations that is more agile, efficient and responsive to the needs of member states.