Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, placed second in the first informal United Nations Security Council straw poll to gauge support for candidates seeking to become the organisation’s next Secretary-General, according to diplomats cited by Reuters.

The non-binding vote, conducted behind closed doors on Thursday, placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan in the lead with 10 “encourage” votes. Rodrigues-Birkett received nine encourage votes, while Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), received seven.

According to Reuters, Rodrigues-Birkett also received two “discourage” votes and four “no opinion” votes. Grynspan received one discourage vote and four no-opinion votes, while Grossi received two discourage votes and six no-opinion votes.