LONDON: The Saudi permanent representative to the UN on Thursday asked Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for her plan for the UN to resolve the Palestinian issue and bring peace to the region at a dialogue in New York.
Rodrigues-Birkett announced her intention to stand as a candidate for the position of UN secretary-general, and set out her vision for the role should she win the forthcoming election.
Speaking on behalf of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Group, Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Wasil affirmed the bloc’s “willingness to cooperate with the candidate in order to support the role of the UN and enhance its ability to deal with challenges.”
In relation to Palestine, he asked Rodrigues-Birkett how she planned to use “coherence and non-selectivity” to “ensure a balanced and fair implementation of intentional principles,” and how this would bring a “balanced implementation of relevant resolutions and … achieve a just and sustained peace” in the Middle East.
Al-Wasil added: “Considering what the world is witnessing, in an increase in conflict and the challenges related to that — related to respecting international law and the UN Charter — how do you see that compliance with international law can be enhanced, especially in relation to the humanitarian aspect and how to better support … organizations such as UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency), and enable them to fulfill their role?”
Rodrigues-Birkett noted that “all member states have subscribed to the UN Charter and have obligations under international law. I’m not oblivious to the fact that we’ve had many violations of humanitarian law and access to humanitarian assistance to those most in need.”
She said: “As secretary-general, I’ll be at the forefront in advocating with the parties concerned to abide by international humanitarian law, especially as it relates to access, but not only to access.”
She added: “Engaging with the parties will be extremely important … not just on the humanitarian side, but also for the longer-term resolution of the Palestinian question.”
Al-Wasil also asked her how the UN80 Initiative — the major reform plan launched by current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to coincide with the body’s 80th anniversary — could be implemented “without prejudice to the main mandate to the UN system.”
UN80 revolves around efforts to streamline and improve efficiency in the organization, and also review the implementation of almost 4,000 UN resolutions.
Rodrigues-Birkett responded: “It’s the responsibility of all member states to abide by their obligations under the charter and their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.”
She added: “The breaches that we’re seeing throughout the conflict landscape (are) extremely worrying, so as secretary-general I think I have my work cut out should I be elected, to advance those processes where we can find small deltas to bring peace.”
