Rodrigues-Birkett Slips to Third as ‘Discourage’ Votes Surge in UN Race

Guyana’s bid to secure the United Nations’ top diplomatic post has suffered its sharpest setback yet, with Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett recording her weakest result in five Security Council straw polls and seeing opposition to her candidacy rise sharply.

In the latest informal poll conducted on October 7, Rodrigues-Birkett received five “encourage” votes, nine “discourage” votes and one “no opinion”, placing her third among the seven candidates still seeking to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General.

The result represents a significant reversal for Guyana’s nominee, who had remained among the leading candidates through the first four rounds.