At the UN, Todd renews Guyana’s commitment to global peacebuilding

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd has reiterated Guyana’s commitment to support the efforts of the United Nations (UN) Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to enhance global peacebuilding.
Minister Todd recently attended the ministerial meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, held last week on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, according to a report on the his ministry’s social media page.
Minister Todd stated that Guyana sees the PBC as an essential bridging entity within the UN.
The ministerial-level meeting provided an opportunity for the entire UN membership to exchange views on their expectations and priorities regarding next year’s Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR) process. Building on the conclusions that can emerge from the Future Summit, the meeting should provide high-level political guidance and build momentum as the review is prepared.
The Minister further underlined that improving communication and coordination between the General Assembly; the Security Council; the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Secretariat would enable a unified approach to peacebuilding.

Minister Todd also reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to supporting efforts that enhance the role and impact of the PBC in global peacebuilding. The Minister noted that strategic cooperation, innovative financing, promoting mutual learning, developing indigenous peacebuilding capacities and countering threats before they arise will promote a more effective, coordinated and integrated approach to maintaining peace and security .
The primary purpose of the PBAR is to thoroughly assess the current impact of the Peacebuilding Commission on peacebuilding around the world. The assessment aims to identify the successes and shortcomings of these initiatives, in particular the extent to which they support national authorities and local actors.
While in New York, the Guyanese Foreign Minister participated in a number of similar ministerial forums organized on the sidelines of the UNGA.
He attended a ministerial meeting on the political and humanitarian situation in Venezuela convened by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Argentine Republic Diana Mondino.
He also made a statement at the High Level Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons where he stated that Guyana remained committed to advancing and advancing the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda as a non-proliferation agenda. nuclear weapon state and as part of a nuclear weapon-free zone.
Minister Todd also attended the Fourth Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Brasilia Consensus, where leaders reviewed the Roadmap for the Integration of South America adopted by the Presidents of South America in October 2023 to shape a flexible South American dialogue. in an effort to promote regional integration and promote cooperation.
The Guyanese Foreign Minister also made remarks at the United Nations Security Council (UN Security Council) meeting on the “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Leadership for Peace – United in Respect of the UN Charter, Seeking towards a safe future.” as well as the UN Security Council briefing on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine (political and security).
He also participated in a Ministerial Roundtable on Strengthening Multilateralism by Upholding the UN Charter, where he called on Member States to advance the cause of humanity by fulfilling their obligations under the Charter.
Speaking at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Guyanese Minister further urged the international community to work towards a lasting solution to the Palestinian conflict. He also attended the Leaders’ Meeting of the Alliance of Small States (AOSIS) on behalf of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, where the Declaration of the Heads of State and Government of AOSIS on Sea Level Rise and the State was adopted.
In addition to these events, Secretary Todd also held a series of bilateral discussions with a number of officials from countries around the world during his stay in New York.
These included the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Elmer Schialer. The two Ministers discussed strengthening the cooperation agenda and partnership between Guyana and Peru, both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. Emerging from these discussions is an expected political consultation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs to promote a collaborative framework to advance cooperation.
Subsequently, during their meeting, Todd and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar reaffirmed their strong commitment to the continued strengthening of the bilateral cooperation agenda between Guyana and India. Minister Todd and Minister Jaishankar also discussed common multilateral areas of focus to further promote cooperation.
The Guyanese Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with the Secretary General of INTERPOL, Jurgen Stock, and they noted the long-standing partnership between Guyana and INTERPOL, and further discussed possible areas of cooperation in global security, law enforcement and counter of cross-border crime.
Meanwhile, Minister Todd signed a joint communiqué with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Marko Đurić, establishing diplomatic relations between Guyana and Serbia.
The Foreign Ministers also held a bilateral discussion on areas of mutual interest to initiate a cooperation agenda between the two countries, including food security and agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT), as well as training and capacity building.
Minister Đurić expressed his government’s support for Guyana in the border controversy with Venezuela currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).