A conversation with your country’s permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) is simply a grand affair, in that it puts you in the middle of world affairs.

This is somebody who, every day, lobbies Jamaica’s and the region’s interests on the big stage; somebody in whose mind the big issues – climate change, sustainable development, international peace – are ever present.

Meet Ambassador Raymond Wolfe.

“To be appointed to the UN as ambassador is certainly the most rewarding experience I could have,” Wolfe told the Sunday Observer a day before his planned return to New York.

Wolfe, who took up the post last May, said the time so far has been exciting.

“The UN is a constant maze of meetings and consultations,” Wolfe said.

But Wolfe, a career diplomat, is no stranger to UN matters, having held posts with responsibility for such affairs at several points. He admitted that his current posting might just have been the culmination of a natural progression.

“I’m not going to be immodest and say I wasn’t surprised,” Wolfe said. “I was pleasantly surprised.”

The work at the UN is varied. For example, Jamaica sits on the Peacebuilding Commission, which focuses on reconstruction work in countries in post-conflict situations. And Wolfe now chairs the UN’s Third Committee, which covers a range of matters from gender issues to human rights.

Nevertheless, the principled positions remain the same. One of those positions is a sustained plea for greater inclusion of developing countries in the formation of policies on the global agenda.

“Developing countries must have a voice in global economic governance and proposals relating to advancing the development agenda,” Wolfe said.

That includes, for example, matters of sustainable development and climate change, which are of “immense importance” to small island states.

“We’re seeking sustained resources to help us put in place suitable mitigation and adaptive measures,” Wolfe said.

On these and other matters, Wolfe said Caricom tries to act as a group. Currently, the group is seeking special protection for the Caribbean Sea because “it is so vital to our social and economic development and trade”.

Wolfe asserted, too, that middle-income countries, such as Jamaica, need all the possible resources from the developed countries to channel their development.

“Because we are seen as middle-income countries with appropriate per capita levels, the UN is telling us that the majority of the resources go to LDCs (Least Developed Countries) and LLDs (Landlocked Developing Countries),” Wolfe said.

He noted, however, that high debt burdens, for example, often prohibited middle-income countries from devoting sufficient resources to development.

The response to that argument has so far been “slow”, Wolfe said. But the group will press on.

There is one achievement though, for which Caricom is currently rejoicing.

“In the first year, the most significant achievement for Caricom was having the General Assembly decide to have a special commemorative activity to [mark] the 200th Anniversary of the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade,” Wolfe said, noticeably proud.

Additionally, a permanent commemorative memorial will be erected in the United Kingdom and a fund has been established to do so.

Caricom is also pushing for reform at the UN, where the Security Council will reflect the wide membership of the organisation.

And Wolfe hopes to continue to represent Jamaica in the best possible way. His diplomatic career, which was born out of an attraction to international politics, started more than 30 years ago and has seen him serve in Nigeria, Japan and Canada, among other places.

And while he won’t say whether he is great at his job, Wolfe will repeat his satisfaction with his career so far, and a tremendous passion for the issues.

“I have great passion for the issues. I leave others to review whether I’m good at my job,” the 56-year- old Wolfe told the Sunday Observer.

“I want to devote the rest of my tour of duty in New York to serving Jamaica as best as I can and try to keep that strong leadership role that Jamaica has in the international community,” Wolfe said.

As someone who “literally rose through the ranks,” Wolfe’s advice to young diplomats is, “Be patient.”