On Thursday 19 June, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convened a high-level open debate on “Poverty, Underdevelopment and Conflict: Implications for the Maintenance of International Peace.” The session was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Guyana, Hon. Hugh Todd, with the country serving as Chair of the UNSC for June 2025.

The debate drew attention to the relationship between sustainable development and international peace and security, highlighting poverty and underdevelopment as drivers and consequences of conflicts.

In his remarks, Minister Todd stated, “prioritising only political solutions in conflicts where poverty and underdevelopment feature prominently will not lead to a comprehensive and sustainable peace. It is equally critical to create conditions for socio-economic stability and wellbeing.”

This sentiment was echoed by the Chair of the CARICOM Caucus in New York, H.E. Stan Smith of The Bahamas, who said, “the multiplier effects of poverty and underdevelopment cannot be contained within separate sets of political borders as isolated abstractions. Inequality fuels resentment. Lack of opportunity fosters desperation. And desperation is the oxygen of unrest.”

Minister Todd stressed the importance of addressing socio-economic challenges including access to economic opportunities and education, unemployment and exclusion. He called on global institutions to support and strengthen national institutions as part of peacebuilding efforts, particularly those that foster socio-economic development. The Minister also advocated for the reform of international financial institutions, which he said is crucial for peace and security.

Highlighting the value of early warning systems, Ambassador Smith noted that greater use should be informed by indicators of economic and social vulnerability.

He emphasised the need to leverage relations with the UN’s Economic and Social Council and Peacebuilding Commission, to enhance peacebuilding efforts, anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals and climate resilience. The full statement delivered by the Chair of the CARICOM Caucus in New York, H.E. Stan Smith can be viewed here.

Guyana was elected as a non-voting member of the UNSC from January 2024 to December 2025.