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Race for UN's Top Job Begins: 5 Candidates Vie for Secretary-General

The election process for the next UN Secretary-General will commence next month, with five candidates officially nominated so far. Starting April 20, each candidate will participate in a public, three-hour interactive dialogue to present their vision. The process emphasizes transparency and a strong push for gender equality, though only three of the five current nominees are women. The final appointment requires a recommendation from the often-fractions UN Security Council before a vote by the General Assembly.

Key Points: UN Secretary-General Election: 5 Candidates, Process Starts April

  • Transparent election starts April 20
  • Call for more women candidates
  • Candidates face 3-hour public Q&A
  • Security Council holds key decision power
  • Leadership during global crises needed
3 min read

Election process for UN Secretary-General to start next month with five candidates so far

The UN election for the next Secretary-General begins next month with five candidates. Meet the nominees and see how the transparent selection process works.

"This is a very transparent, very neutral, and fair process - Annalena Baerbock"

United Nations, March 14

Five candidates have been nominated to vie to become the next United Nations secretary-general, taking over the organisation at a time of crises around the world and within it, and the election process will start next month, according to General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock.

"This is a very transparent, very neutral, and fair process in which every candidate ... will have the same chances and opportunities", she said on Friday.

Starting April 20, each of the candidates will face a three-hour interactive session during which they will present their case for election to head the 193-member organisation and run a gauntlet of questions.

The dialogue will include civil society organisations and be broadcast on the web.

The call for candidates was put out last year by Baerbock and the then-president of the Security Council called for women candidates, reflecting a wide sentiment that after 80 years it was time for a woman to helm the organisation.

The Assembly resolution on the election set "equal and fair distribution" on the basis of gender as a desirable goal. But two of the five candidates nominated so far are men.

The three woman candidates are former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who was also the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and was nominated by Chile, Brazil and Mexico; Costa Rica's nominee Rebecca Grynspan, the secretary-general of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and a former vice president of Costa Rica, and Virginia Gamba, a Argentinian nominated by Maldives, who held senior positions at the UN, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, and the head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Another Argentinian, Rafael Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency, and was nominated by his country, is one of the two men running for the office.

The other, nominated by Burundi, is Macky Sall, a former president and prime minister of Senegal.

Nominations close on April 1, and other candidates can emerge.

Although the winner will need a simple majority in General Assembly, the factitious Security Council, where the five permanent members have veto powers, really makes the decision as the UN Charter says that the Assembly appoints the UN's top official "upon the recommendation of the Security Council".

Baerbock said the interactive dialogue first will "be structured around the personal vision statements and the management skill, and then in the second part, around the three pillars being peace and security, sustainable development and climate, and human rights".

Asked about the qualities expected of the person who will succeed Guterres, she said the person "should provide strong and dedicated, effective leadership skills with experience in governance structures".

The next leader should also have the management skills to guide the UN through reforms, she said.

Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal, will be completing his second term this year.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While I appreciate the call for transparency, the real power lies with the Security Council and the veto-wielding nations. The General Assembly's "interactive sessions" feel like a show if the final decision is made in backrooms by a few countries. The UN needs structural reform more than a new Secretary-General.
A
Aditya G
Interesting to see candidates from Latin America and Africa. But where is the candidate from Asia? Our continent is home to over half the world's population. The UN leadership should reflect global diversity, not just rotate among certain regions. Hope a strong Asian candidate emerges before April 1st.
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Sarah B
The focus on management skills and reform is crucial. The UN bureaucracy is massive. The next SG needs to be an effective administrator who can cut through red tape and make the organization more agile to handle crises like climate change and conflicts. Rafael Grossi's experience with IAEA might be valuable there.
K
Karthik V
Broadcasting the sessions on the web is a good move for transparency. As an Indian, I hope the next Secretary-General gives stronger voice to Global South issues—sustainable development, fair trade, and reforming outdated global institutions. The candidate's vision on these matters will be key for us.
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Meera T
Let's hope the best person gets the job, man or woman. The world is in a fragile state. We need a leader with integrity, diplomatic skill, and the courage to speak truth to power, especially to the permanent members of the Security Council who often paralyze action. Wishing all candidates the best.

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