Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has engaged Guyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary-General, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, on her vision for the organisation, with discussions focusing on UN reforms and how the world body can better respond to the priorities of the Global South.
Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN and a former Foreign Minister, shared her priorities for the organisation if elected to succeed António Guterres, whose second term ends in December 2026.
Her agenda includes strengthening multilateralism, making the UN more efficient, effective and responsive, improving access to development financing for developing countries, strengthening conflict prevention and diplomacy, and expanding South-South cooperation.
She has also called for continuous reform of the UN and greater support for developing countries as they confront challenges including climate change, food insecurity, humanitarian crises and sustainable development.
The issues align closely with longstanding concerns of the Global South, including the need for a more representative multilateral system, greater influence for developing countries in global decision-making and reform of the international financial architecture.
Rodrigues-Birkett has previously argued that the global financial system is skewed against countries that are most vulnerable and in need, while calling for reforms that would make global governance structures more representative, democratic and accountable. She has also backed stronger African representation on the UN Security Council, describing the continent’s underrepresentation as a historical injustice.
“It was also a pleasant moment to exchange ideas on UN reforms and how the world’s foremost multilateral organisation can become more fit for purpose to meet the legitimate expectations of all, particularly, the Global South,” Mr Ablakwa stated.
The Foreign Affairs Minister wished Rodrigues-Birkett well in her campaign for what she has described as a more agile, efficient and effective United Nations.
The engagement forms part of Rodrigues-Birkett’s diplomatic outreach as she seeks support for her candidacy. She recently briefed member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on her campaign and has also been engaging leaders and senior officials across Africa and the Caribbean.
Her recent engagements include meetings with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, and Cabo Verde’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communities and Minister of National Defence, Manuel Amante da Rosa, where she discussed issues including challenges confronting developing countries, global food insecurity and youth development.
She has also received support from Jamaica’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Juliet Holness, while seeking stronger backing from fellow Caribbean countries.
Rodrigues-Birkett is one of eight candidates seeking to succeed Guterres. The other contenders are Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Senegal’s former President Macky Sall, Uganda’s Olara Otunnu, Ecuador’s María Fernanda Espinosa, Chile’s former President Michelle Bachelet and Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki.
The race remains open, with Rodrigues-Birkett emerging as the leading candidate in the second informal Security Council straw poll in August, receiving eight “encourage” votes, compared with seven each for Grynspan and Grossi. The poll is non-binding and does not constitute an election.
Ablakwa’s engagement with Rodrigues-Birkett comes amid a wider diplomatic outreach by Ghana on multilateral affairs, including recent engagements with foreign ministers and senior leaders from South Africa, Cabo Verde, Namibia, Angola and the African Union.
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