SVG backs Guyana’s Rodrigues-Birkett for first woman UN Secretary-General 

By Val Matthias. Updated 9:01 p.m., Friday, September 25, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

Prime Minister Dr Godwin Friday has thrown St Vincent and the Grenadines’ support behind Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, saying the time has come for the organisation’s first woman leader. 

In his inaugural address to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Dr Friday called for a more open and inclusive selection process for the UN’s top office.

The Prime Minister said that, as a first-time participant in the General Assembly, he walked the halls of the UN Headquarters and reflected on the portraits of the nine men who have served as Secretary-General since 1946. 

“After eight decades, surely the time has come for an equally capable woman to be Secretary-General,” Dr Friday told the Assembly.

He announced that St Vincent and the Grenadines is joining other CARICOM member states in endorsing Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana for the position.

Dr Friday described Rodrigues-Birkett as “a distinguished diplomat, a principled multilateralist, and a compelling advocate for developing countries and small states,” adding that his government believes she is well suited to lead the United Nations.

The endorsement formed part of the Prime Minister’s wider call for reforms aimed at making the United Nations more representative and inclusive, as world leaders gathered for the General Debate of UNGA 81.

The Secretary-General is appointed by the 193-member UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, where candidates must first secure broad support and avoid a veto from any of its five permanent members.

Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett is among the leading contenders to succeed António Guterres when his term ends in December, with CARICOM backing her bid to become the first woman and first Caribbean national to lead the United Nations. 

The role includes leading the UN Secretariat, mediating international disputes, coordinating responses to humanitarian crises and climate emergencies, and bringing threats to international peace and security before the Security Council.

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About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication (UWI Mona), a Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (UWI Cave Hill), a Certificate in Digital Marketing, and has years of broadcast journalism experience rising to ranks of a programme manager. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at [email protected]