United Nations — Four candidates They compete for leadership The United Nations spent hours grilling her on her views on issues ranging from restoring world peace to ending rising poverty – in what the head of the UN General Assembly described as one of the world’s toughest job interviews.
There was no clear winner after Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebecca Greenspan of Costa Rica and Macky Sall of Senegal took questions from UN ambassadors last week.
In addition, other candidates could wait until after the preliminary examinations to enter the race to succeed the UN Secretary-General António Guterres On January 1st.
“This role is important,” said General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, who chaired the question-and-answer sessions. “The Secretary-General is not only the head of the United Nations and the world’s highest-ranking diplomat – he also represents all 8 billion of us, defending the UN Charter and leading peace, development and human rights efforts.”
The four said they would focus on those three pillars of the United Nations, especially its pillars Founding role after World War II Ensure international peace and security and prevent conflicts – which it has been unable to do in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and other hot spots in the world due to wide divisions. They also pledged to stimulate reforms in more than… An 80-year-old institution.
Bachelet, 74, a two-time president of Chile and a former UN human rights commissioner, told ambassadors that the UN must try to avoid crises and that she has the right leadership skills.
“I stand before you to stress the urgent need for dialogue,” she said, stressing that the United Nations must anticipate, prevent and unite. She added that the next Secretary-General also needs to be “physically present in the field” to help address the problems.
Grossi, 65, is a former Argentine diplomat and was director general of International Atomic Energy Agency As far back as 2019, he said that with such global polarization, “there is enormous, huge doubt about our foundation” in solving global problems.
He added that unless the United Nations has effective leadership and support from all countries, it will not regain a major place at the table, “so we have to focus on that.” He also said that the next UN Secretary-General should visit global hotspots.
GreenspanThe 65-year-old former vice president of Costa Rica who has been secretary-general of the United Nations Trade and Development Agency since 2021, said she knows how to stand up for principles while under pressure. She said that as Secretary-General, she “will continue to be the moral voice and the impartial voice that a Secretary-General should be.”
She warned that the United Nations had become a “risk-averse organization.” “We need to take more risks – and I’m willing to fail and try again.”
Sal, 64, was President of Senegal For 12 years, he has said the United Nations needs to “reclaim its place at the global table.”
He said that if chosen, he would be a “bridge builder” and that his first priority would be “to contribute to restoring confidence, calming tensions, reducing fragmentation, and instilling renewed hope in our collective work.”
Bachelet, a doctor, responded to a letter from 28 Republican US lawmakers who called her a “pro-abortion fanatic” and asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to veto her, saying the issue was controversial and that they respect each country’s right to decide.
She described herself as a strong believer in women’s rights to decide about their own lives and the number of children they will have. She said that as Secretary-General, she would do everything necessary to strengthen the agreements concluded by UN Member States, including promoting gender equality.
Traditionally, the position of Secretary-General rotates by region, and this year it is Latin America’s turn. Sall, the only candidate from outside the region, said the UN Charter does not prevent any candidate.
He pointed out that after a leader from the Global North – Guterres is Portuguese – the next Secretary-General of the United Nations must be from the Global South. Sall was also the only candidate to spark demonstrations outside UN headquarters – both for and against his bid for Secretary-General. Sall has been accused of corruption, which he denies.
The four candidates “tried to walk a political tightrope,” said Daniel Forte, head of UN affairs at the International Crisis Group.
“It is not immediately clear whether any candidate has done enough to push themselves ahead of others, or to fend off potential rivals who might emerge later,” he said.
The choice will be left to the 15-nation UN Security Council, especially the five veto-wielding members – the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – who remain silent. The 193-member General Assembly must give final approval.
Minh Thu Pham, advisor to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and executive director of the Starling Research Institute, said there is a widespread desire to appoint a Secretary-General who is willing to take risks and be more active in promoting peace. The United Nations is not part of the dialogue on major crises “because it does not have the courage to take risks.”
Susana Malcorra, a former Argentine foreign minister and senior UN official who was a candidate for secretary-general in 2016, said the UN needed “more than ever” new leadership and energy.
The global advocacy group she leads, GWL Voices, is campaigning for the next head of the United Nations to be a woman.