Statement delivered by H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations during the Handover Ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Iraq, Your Excellency, Fuad Mohammad Hussein, Guyana extends her heartfelt congratulations to you and the Government of Iraq on assuming the Chairmanship of the G77 and China. 

Guyana pledges its full support to you and your team during your tenure. Guyana also commends and thanks Uganda for its excellent stewardship of our group in 2024 amidst great challenges. 

Chair,

Since the establishment of our group, it has been an integral part of the multilateral arena within the United Nations (UN). Throughout, our collective strength and unity have always been our greatest asset. This must continue to be the case even as we recognize and consider the evolution of priorities and position of various countries and groups of countries.

2025 will be a pivotal year as we continue to work towards the positive transformation of the global landscape for the development of all our peoples. 

In this regard, our attention will be fixed on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in June. We must work to ensure that this Conference is not just a regurgitation of commitments.

We must also redouble our efforts to address the escalating impacts of the climate crisis as  we seek to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees. We are also pleased with the critical step towards concluding Article six (6) negotiations to establish the carbon market mechanism. Guyana is optimistic that G77 and China can have a unified position on this critical mechanism. 

Chair, 
Our Group must also remain steadfast in our quest to end poverty and hunger. In Guyana’s view, this constitutes the foundation on which all the other SDG’s stand, including sustainable peace and security. Conflicts continue to exacerbate poverty and food insecurity and vice versa.

Chair, Excellencies, 
We are not short of commitments, and we must guard against a recycling of these commitments. Our path therefore is to work towards the acceleration of implementation on all fronts. This must be our collective priority. 

In closing, Chair, I underscore Guyana’s commitment to the Group. Together we can go a far way in overcoming the challenges before us, preserve our core values and produce concrete outcomes. You have Guyana’s full support during your stewardship of our Group.

I thank you.