GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – President Dr. Irfaan Ali is expected to chair a high-level open debate at the United Nations Security Council as Guyana presides over the Council in February 2024.
Foreign Secretary and Guyana’s High Representative for United Nations Security Council Affairs, Robert M. Persaud, in an opinion piece marking Guyana’s assumption of its seat as an elected member on the UN Security Council and its presidency of the Council in February, said that the high-level meeting would be held under the theme “ the Impact of Climate Change and Food Insecurity in the Maintenance of International Peace and Security.”
He should have disclosed the dates for the meeting in February.
Persad said that given the growing concern and acknowledgment of the climate, food, and conflict nexus, the open debate will promote greater understanding, better coordination of responses, and proactive approaches to addressing the intersection of food insecurity and climate change in maintaining international peace and security.
“Of note, Guyana’s presence on the Security Council comes amidst the rise in the number of conflicts, increase in democratic backslide, and threat to peace in many regions of the world,” he said.
Persaud said that the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, for instance, “have upended peace, causing instability with far-reaching consequences for both the human beings who are the casualties and the international system, which is now experiencing severe strain.
“All our citizens should be proud that Guyana will play its part in building alliances and engaging meaningfully in finding long-lasting and sustainable solutions to conflicts, in line with international law and the UN Charter.
“Moreover, we will also seek to elevate the voices of developing countries, particularly those in states like Haiti, Colombia, and in the African region, and to ensure the respect for all states’ territorial integrity and sovereignty consistent with international laws,” Persaud said.
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