I am pleased to participate in this solemn event marking the commencement of Guyana’s tenure as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council.

I express my delegation’s deep appreciation to Ambassador Akan RAKHMETULLIN and the staff of the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan, for initiating the flag installation ceremony and for today’s event.

I also wish to congratulate the esteemed Governments of Algeria, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia whose tenures on the Council have also begun, and to thank the outgoing five members for their sterling efforts over the last two years.

Allow me to reiterate Guyana’s gratitude to the UN General Assembly for making Guyana’s membership of the Council possible, and to express our appreciation to the entire UN community for their steady support, encouragement and advice.

The task of maintaining international peace and security is growing increasingly complex with multidimensional challenges. The Council is therefore compelled to be proactive in addressing potential sources of conflict, and comprehensive in its response to existing conflict situations. Guyana will be constructive in our approach to the work of the Council, fully committed to partnerships for the peace and prosperity of the world’s people.

We will seek a people-centred approach, including the involvement of women and youth in the search for solutions, ever mindful that conflict is a driver of poverty and underdevelopment and therefore inimical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In closing, Guyana has never waivered in its commitment to multilateralism and to promoting the principles and purposes of the United Nations. Guyana’s pledge, therefore, is to be guided by a firm adherence to the rule of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and to continue to work collaboratively to strengthen universal peace and security, for a better world.

I thank you.