By Teddy Nwanunobi
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has congratulated António Guterres on his reappointment to a second term as the Secretary General of the United Nations
Valuechain reports that Guterres was, on Friday, June 18, reappointed to a second term as the UN Secretary General.
In his congratulatory letter, OPEC’s Secretary General, Mohammad Barkindo, appreciated the UN’s role under the stewardship of Guterres during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.
Barkindo also recognised Guterres for being a passionate champion of alleviating energy poverty, as highlighted by UN Sustainable Development Goal 7.
“I extend myvwarmest congratulations to you on your appointment to a second term as Secretary-General of the United Nations at this defining moment of our times.
“Words alone cannot express our gratitude for your august leadership over the past five years, and in particular throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under your guidance, the UN has been a force for good, spearheading efforts to facilitate access to information and healthcare, as well as life-saving vaccines and economic support for the most vulnerable countries and regions. Your strong advocacy for international cooperation and solidarity has provided a ray of hope during the darkest hours of the pandemic.
“Excellency, we, at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), are also grateful for your continued emphasis on the importance of global cooperation to achievea sustainable and inclusive recovery.
“Like the UN itself, OPEC was foundedon the principles of cooperation and respect among nations. Our unparalleled efforts to restore stability to the oil market since the beginning of the pandemic, and to sustainstability going forward, reflect the principles our Organisations hold dear. Through the framework of the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC), comprised of OPEC and non-OPEC oil producing countries, we have diligently and in close consultation with other producing and consuming nations, along with leading international institutions and stakeholders, to ensure a secure and stable energy supply.
“Since OPEC was foundedin 1960, we have had a strong and productive relationship with the UN, its agencies and many of your esteemed predecessors.
“Our Founding Agreement from September 1960 was registered at the UN Secretariat on 6 November 1962, under UN Resolution6363. Later, OPEC also established relations with the UN Economic antiSocial Council (ECOSOC) under UN Resolution1053, adopted on 30 July 1965. That same year, our Secretariat became one of the first international Organisations to locate in Vienna, and today we enjoy valuable working relationships with UN agencies at the Vienna International Centre and many other global organisations.
“We are also extremely grateful for the close cooperation OPEC and our member countries have with many UN-led efforts, including the discussions leading to the signing of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992 and the global negotiationsvsincevthen. We look forward to contributing, along with other international partners and stakeholders, to the forthcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (C0P26) in Glasgow.
“Excellency, you have also been a passionate champion of alleviating energy poverty as highlighted by UN Sustainable Development Goal 7. As part of the international community, OPEC and its member countries are fully engaged in efforts to expand energy access, and we will continue to do our part to provide a secure and sustainable fuel supply to help realise the growth and development aspirations of all countries.
“I have always taken inspiration from the words of one of your esteemed predecessors, Kofi Annan, who said just before the dawn of the 21 century: ‘More than ever before human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only, if we face it together.’
“Today, we are at another defining moment in history, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the UN and to you for the leadership and vision that you provide as Secretary-General.
“I wish you good fortune in your new term, and look forward to continued cooperation in the years to come,” Barkindo said.
Valuechain reports that Guterres, who pledged as his priority, to continue helping the world chart a course out of the COVID-19 pandemic, has called for new era of ‘solidarity and equality’.
Guterres, who was the sole candidate from the UN’s 193 member states to view for it’s top job, began his first five-year term in January 2017.
He was nominated by his homeland, Portugal, and reappointed by acclamation by the General Assembly, following prior endorsement by the UN Security Council, for a second term that runs from January 2022 to December 2026.