Carolyn Rodrigues
Guyanese politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carolyn Allison Rodrigues-Birkett (born 16 September 1973) is a Guyanese politician and former foreign minister who has served as her country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2020.
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Carolyn Rodrigues | |
|---|---|
Rodrigues in 2011 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 10 April 2008 – May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Rudy Insanally |
| Succeeded by | Carl Barrington Greenidge |
| Minister of Amerindian Affairs | |
| In office April 2001 – 4 January 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Vilbert De Souza |
| Succeeded by | Pauline Campbell-Sukhai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 September 1973 |
| Alma mater | University of Regina University of Guyana |
Early life and education
Rodrigues was born on 16 September 1973[1] to an Amerindian[2] family in Santa Rosa in the Barima-Waini region of Guyana. After attending a private school in Georgetown,[1] she received a scholarship for Amerindians[2] that enabled her to study business administration at the University of Regina in Canada.
Career
Early career
Rodrigues returned to Guyana in 1993[1] and began working for a lumber company. Under the terms of her scholarship, she was required to work for Amerindian communities, and found employment with the Inter-American Development Bank's social impact amelioration programme, despite a 65% decrease in salary.[2] She coordinated an Amerindian projects programme until 2001, when she enrolled at the University of Guyana to study social work.[1]
Politics
In April 2001 Rodrigues was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister of Amerindian Affairs, and was reappointed to the role following the 2006 general election,[3] serving until January 2008.[4] In April of that year she became Minister of Foreign Affairs,[5][6] serving until the People's Progressive Party lost the general election in May 2015. She was subsequently offered a place on the party's parliamentary list, but declined to take a seat in the National Assembly[7]
International career
In August 2017 Rodrigues was appointed Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization's liaison office with the United Nations in Geneva,[8] serving in that role until 2020 when she became her country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.[9]
On 15 June 2026, the Guyanese government nominated Rodrigues as a candidate in the 2026 United Nations Secretary-General selection.[10][11][12][13]