Georgetown : Guyana has constantly pursued policies to give effect to the core aspects of the New Global Human Order, Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett told the United Nations General Assembly. The Minister was delivering her presentation during the Thematic Debate on Inequality held at the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York, yesterday.
She pointed out that the policies pursued by Guyana were in particular to reduce inequality at the domestic level.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that over the past two decades Guyana has substantially increased budgetary allocations to the social sectors and taken specific action to address the most vulnerable segments of society, including women, youth, indigenous people, the elderly and the disabled. “More than 30 percent of the national budget is dedicated to education, health, housing, water and other social programmes. We have worked steadfastly to build a more resilient economy and society,” the Minister explained. She pointed out also the annual five percent growth Guyana’s economy over the past seven years which enabled the country to forestall the worst effects of the global financial crisis. “This growth is no doubt largely the result of investment we have been making in our people,” she said.
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett explained however, that Guyana’s efforts to reduce inequality at the national level, are limited by the difficult global environment. “It is absolutely necessary that the International Community takes bold decisive steps to “forge a new Global Partnership” recommended for the Post -2015 Development Agenda and identified as a critical element of the New Global Human Order,” she stated.
Observing that reducing inequality is not a new challenge, the Minister said “its causes or consequences are pervasive, not circumscribed by geography, economy or political system. All countries are called upon to rise to this challenge and to contribute to a more inclusive, just and equitable order, both at the national and global levels. It is my delegation's sincere hope that today's debate will contribute to this noble purpose.”
Minister Rodrigues-Birkett commended the UN for convening the thematic debate and the role of United Nations in promoting a New Global Human Order. She explained that it is fitting that this is being done in association with the Organisation of American States which has devoted much attention to social inequality and its impacts, and whose participation is welcome.
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