Statement by Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett at the 9526th meeting of the UN Security Council on the Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine

Security Council Chamber - 10 January 2024

Thank you, Mr. President

I thank Under Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo and Ms. Edem Wosornu, OCHA Director for Operations and Advocacy for the updates provided and recognize the presence of the Representatives of Ukraine, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the European Union.

Mr. President,

Guyana joins the international community in reaffirming the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and in calling for full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We deplore the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

We note with growing concern the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on innocent civilians and critical infrastructure. International law and international humanitarian law are unambiguous when it comes to the protection of civilians and civilian objects. Guyana condemns all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including hospitals, electricity transmission systems, food ports, gas and water supplies, and the killing of innocent civilians.

Mr. President,

The devastating accounts heard today of unrelenting violence, death, and destruction are cause for the gravest of concern. We share the briefers’ dismay at the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in the country and the continued denial of access to people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. We urge the parties to comply with their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law and call for full, unhindered humanitarian access, including to occupied areas.

Mr. President,

This war has so far wrought untold suffering, particularly on the Ukrainian people. From the mass destruction of cities to prolonged economic, social, and psychological impacts, the trauma and residual effects of the war will be acutely felt for years to come. Guyana is especially alarmed at the violations committed against children, who have paid a particularly high price in life and limb on account of the violence meted out, especially in attacks against schools and hospitals.

We maintain that every boy and girl has the right to a life without fear or want. Guyana calls for an end to attacks on infrastructure that are critical for children’s well-being, including schools, hospitals, energy, water, and sanitation systems.

In its latest report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has documented cases of arbitrary detention, torture, summary executions, sexual violence, transfers and deportations of children, and cases of forced conscription of protected persons.

Guyana demands that the parties respect humanitarian principles, and adhere to international humanitarian law, and international human rights law, including by ending and preventing all grave violations against children and ensuring their safe return.

We welcome the efforts that led to the exchange of prisoners of war last week. We hope that these positive efforts can continue and that independent monitors, including OHCHR, will have regular unimpeded, and confidential access to all detained persons.

Mr. President,

The prolongation of this war poses increasingly grave risks and consequences for all concerned and for international peace and security. It has brought nothing but unimaginable suffering and trauma for generations of Ukrainian and Russian citizens, not to mention its regional and international ramifications. We call for an immediate end to the hostilities and the complete withdrawal of Russian military forces from the territory of Ukraine. We urge the parties to commit to a serious political and diplomatic process toward ending the conflict and the continued engagement of the international community to this end. We further call for continued international support for the victims of the war, inclusive of medical, psychological, and legal support, with particular attention to children and survivors of sexual violence.

We commend the efforts of UN agencies, bilateral partners, and international, regional, and local organizations in responding to the humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people and urge the international community to scale up humanitarian support to Ukraine.

In closing, Mr. President, I would like to stress the urgency of resolving this conflict through peaceful means. Guyana will continue to lend its support to all efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General and other willing partners who have been working diligently toward peace and an end to the scourge of war.

I Thank You!