Guyana seeks non-permanent seat on UN Security Council

Sep 22, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Guyana is seeking non-permanent membership of the powerful United Nations Security Council, President Irfaan Ali announced during his address to the United General Assembly on Wednesday.

President Irfaan Ali addressing the UN General Assembly on Wednesday

The Security Council consists of 15 countries. Five of them – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members with the right to veto. The General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States, elects the 10 non-permanent members who serve for two-year terms. To secure a place on the Council, countries must receive a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even if they run uncontested.

Candidates usually vie for seats under three regional groups: two for African and Asia-Pacific countries, one for Latin America and the Caribbean, and two for Western Europe and other States. Back in June this year five countries were elected to serve as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council following a vote in the General Assembly. Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland will join the UN body responsible for the maintenance of global peace and security, beginning in January 2023.

Meanwhile, during his address President Ali said as part of the global family, Guyana subscribes to a rules-based international order as well as the need for a resurgence of political will and commitment to protect the multilateral architecture. “We are deeply concerned about the number of persons living in conflict situations,” the Guyanese leader stated.

According to him the ongoing war in Ukraine is having terrible effects on the region and country, the impacts of which are disproportionately felt by women and children. “We urge a speedy and peaceful resolution of the conflict and express support for the efforts of the United Nations’ Secretary-General in this regard. In our own region, we again join the overwhelming majority of members of the international community in reiterating Guyana’s rejection of the sanctions imposed on the Republic of Cuba. Guyana also restates its solidarity with the Palestinian people and its support for their dignified existence in their own homeland in accordance with a two-state solution,” Ali told the Assembly.

He said Guyana does not condone or support the threat of, or use of force in relations between states or in the resolution of disputes.”Consistent with the Charter of the United Nations, Guyana subscribes to the use of peaceful means to settle disputes. In this context, Guyana thanks those who have already expressed support for our candidature for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council,” he announced.

Updating the Assembly on the status of the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, Ali said this country remains committed making use of every diplomatic tool for a peaceful settlement. “In the matter of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – challenged and threatened by Venezuela as it is, we remain – to quote the Secretary General at the opening of the General Debate yesterday –“committed to make the most of every diplomatic tool for the pacific settlement of disputes, as set out in the Charter of the United Nations”. In this case, ‘judicial settlement’ as determined by the Secretary-General himself. He said the world can be assured that Guyana shall remain true to those peaceful processes and deny every effort to depart from them. The International Court of Justice has already affirmed its jurisdiction in the matter.

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