Guyana elected to two UN bodies

Guyana was yesterday elected to the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF) and to the Programme Coordination Board for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A statement from Takuba Lodge yesterday said that both appointments are for three year terms starting from January 1, 2013.  The statement said that both candidatures were endorsed by CARICOM member states and by the wider Group of Latin American and Caribbean States.

Consul General: Michael Brotherson presented his Letter of Commission as Consul General of Guyana to Barbados to Maxine McLean, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Barbados on April 25th, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday. The press release said that the decision by Guyana to upgrade its consular representation in Barbados was taken in the light of the strong relationship between Guyana and Barbados and the broader contact between the two countries both at the Government and people to people levels. “A permanent presence in Barbados would allow for improved consular services and the development of relations with the Guyanese Diaspora. The Government of Guyana will also work with the Government of Barbados through its Consul General to promote trade and investment and bilateral cooperation in key areas”, the release said.

The UNICEF Executive Board provides intergovernmental support and oversight to UNICEF, reviews its activities and approves its policies, country programmes and budgets. The Programme Coordination Board serves as the governance structure of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the statement said, noting that it guides the work of the programme on issues relating to policy, strategy, finance monitoring and evaluation of the programme. The Executive Director of UNAIDS reports directly to the Programme Coordination Board.

The Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF) consists of 36 members while the Programme Coordination Board is made up of  22 members .

“As a member of the Executive Board of UNICEF and the Programme Coordination Board of UNAIDS, Guyana will play an active and constructive part to help guide the activities and policies of both agencies during its term”, the statement said.