Guyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary General, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, says she would seek to serve as a “neutral broker” if elected to lead the world body, using the office to help bridge divisions among powerful member states and push for action on global crises.
Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, made the comments during an interview with Mark Leon Goldberg on the Global Dispatches podcast, where she discussed her candidacy and vision for the organisation.
She said her recent experience on the UN Security Council, where Guyana served as an elected member in 2024 and 2025, convinced her that the Secretary General can still play an important role when member states are divided.
“There’s always space for the Secretary General,” Rodrigues-Birkett said. “When there are differences amongst member states on the Security Council, the Secretary General has a very good opportunity to be that neutral broker, that neutral voice in those discussions.”
Rodrigues-Birkett said serving on the Security Council was central to her decision to seek the UN’s top post. She said had she not served on what she described as the UN’s “ultra-political body,” she would not have put herself forward for Secretary General.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister said she has seen both what the Security Council can do and where the Secretary General can step in when the Council cannot reach decisions.
Asked how she would respond to disputes among the five permanent members of the Security Council, Rodrigues-Birkett said the role requires humility and persistence.
“One has to leave their ego at the door when you decide to put yourself forward for Secretary General and when you’re the Secretary General,” she said.
She acknowledged that the post would bring “scrapes” and “bruises,” but said progress would still be possible.
Rodrigues-Birkett pointed to her own Security Council experience, recalling a situation in which members had differing views on a matter involving a country facing deep suffering. She said she and her team engaged all sides, sought to explain the consequences of inaction for the population, and after months of work helped secure passage of a resolution.
She said that approach, keeping focus on the bigger picture and on helping people, would guide her if elected Secretary General.
On conflict mediation, Rodrigues-Birkett said her approach would be shaped by experience rather than comparison with other candidates. She said any conflict response must begin with understanding the context, the parties involved and those with influence over them.
She noted that the Security Council currently has about 38 active files, with some conflicts more geopolitically difficult than others, but said the UN must continue looking for areas where intervention is possible.
Rodrigues-Birkett said she has visited countries that emerged from conflict with support from UN peacekeeping missions and are now relatively stable democracies focused on development. She said that is the kind of work she wants to see the United Nations do more often.
The Guyanese diplomat also stressed the importance of prevention, saying the Secretary General must be proactive and pragmatic in working to stop conflicts before they erupt.
While much attention is often placed on peace and security, Rodrigues-Birkett said development must not be separated from the UN’s peace and human rights work. She described development as one of the strongest ways to prevent conflict.
“The best prophylactic against conflict will be development,” she said.
Rodrigues-Birkett also said access to finance remains critical for developing countries, especially as the world considers what should follow the Sustainable Development Goals after 2030. She said the next global development agenda must be realistic about timelines, financing and what countries can actually achieve.
