Guyana has been elected as Chair of the G77 Group, a United Nations coalition of developing nations, but diplomatic sources have questioned the cost, including potentially undermining the country’s past efforts in lobbying for support in its border controversy with Venezuela.
“Guyana’s election as G77 Chair has been hailed as a timely and fitting tribute to all Guyanese with recognition of the good standing and capacity of the country to effectively undertake responsibilities at the highest levels of the international community,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday announcing Guyana’s election by the Group of 77 (G77) and China to serve as Chair in 2020.
The 134 Member States of the Group elected Guyana by acclamation without preconditions at a November 22nd plenary.
The ministry said the country’s election follows a decision of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) earlier in 2019 to ensure that a regional candidate assume the chairmanship in 2020 of the largest negotiating group of developing countries in the United Nations. “Consequently, for its accession, Guyana received the unequivocal support of CARICOM and the majority of countries in the Group, including from Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America,” the statement added.
But sources told the Stabroek News that Venezuela objected to Guyana getting the position unless all public lobbying for support in the border controversy matter was halted. The source explained that it would mean that for a number of matters, Venezuela is likely to get its allies in China and a number of Latin American countries to side with Caracas and shun proposals put forward by this county.
“It questions the price for Venezuela’s support over national interest,” one source told Stabroek News.
This newspaper understands that Ambassador Rudolph Michael Ten-Pow expressed interest in this country’s Chairing the G77 Group for 2020, a position that would likely result in his remaining in New York as representative of the country. The position would also mean that Guyana would also have to fork out close to US$1 million, which would cover funding for the tasks associated with Chairmanship.
Sources tells this newspaper that G77 Chairmanship is “nothing big to boast about” as the position poses more internal diplomatic conflicts than the public understands.
Ambassador Ten-Pow’s new position comes even as there is turmoil within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the “organisational restructuring” that would see five overseas mission heads being replaced.
But government says that the Chairmanship position was one which showed the nations in the group’s support for this country and comes without preconditions.
According to the ministry, the country during its chairmanship would be committed to endeavouring to strengthen multilateralism for the benefit of all developing countries, including by presiding over global sustainable development and climate change negotiations, and efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Organization.
The statement quoted Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Cummings as pledging commitment by this country to serve astutely. “In keeping with its deep commitment to principled conduct and the rule of law, Guyana will discharge the important responsibilities of the Chairmanship of the G77 and China with integrity, faithfulness to the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations,” she said while noting her country’s resolve to use the opportunity to further the interests of all developing countries.
The duties of the Chairmanship will be discharged with the support of a range of bilateral partners and international organisations. Team members will be drawn from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other Government Ministries and agencies and from the Guyanese diaspora, the statement added.
Main activities of the Group, the ministry noted, take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, while, G77 Chapters are based in Geneva, Nairobi, Paris, Rome and Vienna, and the closely allied Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G24) in Washington DC.
The official ceremony for the handover of the G77 Chairmanship from the State of Palestine — which served in the capacity in 2019 — to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana will be held on January 15th at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
