Public backing and secret ballots mark Rodrigues-Birkett’s UN bid
Guyana nominated Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in June, and CARICOM later endorsed her as the region’s candidate. Public appeals from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and President Irfaan Ali are distinct from the Security Council’s secret-ballot polling, where Rodrigues-Birkett received eight “encourage” votes in the third round, compared with nine for Rebeca Grynspan.
Kaieteur News reports that Guyana nominated its UN representative, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, in June and that CARICOM subsequently endorsed her as the region’s candidate. On Thursday, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley pledged her country’s support during the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York. Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali also urged Security Council members and other UN member states to assess Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy on its merits.
Those public endorsements are separate from the Security Council’s informal polling. In the third round, Rodrigues-Birkett received eight “encourage” votes, while Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan received nine. The secret ballot does not identify which countries cast negative votes. The Security Council is to recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly as it considers a successor to António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31, 2026.
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