The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly, the most representative body of the UN, following a recommendation by the 15 members of the Council.
An ‘important’ responsibility
“As the year draws to a close, the Council approaches one of its most important responsibilities, namely the selection process for the next Secretary-General,” said Danish Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, co-chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Matters.
“In the coming months, the Council will discuss how it votes, how it interacts with candidates, how it informs the broader membership about its progress and its results.”
Russia held the rotating presidency of the Council in October and Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the country “quickly began working to reach an agreement” on the joint invitation letter with the General Assembly inviting countries to present their candidates.
“We trust that the document will be adopted in a short time to formally begin this important process,” he stated.
“We are confident that the efforts of the Security Council will help facilitate the selection of the most worthy candidate for the future head of the Secretariat.”
A woman leader
The next UN Secretary-General will serve a five-year term starting in January 2027, after current head António Guterres of Portugal leaves office.
Since no woman has ever held the position, the representative of Chile advocated for “an open, participatory and gender-inclusive process.”
“After 80 years, the time has come for a woman to lead this organization; a woman who, with her leadership and vision, can give the multilateral system the credibility it needs to respond to the challenges of our time,” she said.
“The principle of regional rotation must also be respected and it is up to the Latin American and Caribbean region to lead this charge,” he added.
Loraine Sievers, former head of the UN Security Council Secretariat Branch, briefs the Security Council meeting on the working methods of the Security Council.
Productive meetings matter
More than 40 countries participated in the debate on the Council’s working methods, known as Note 507, adopted last December.
The way meetings are conducted has become increasingly important over the past year, given the pressing crises on its agenda, said Loraine Sievers, a former head of the office who supports the council’s daily work.
“Of course, people are mainly focused on the statements made here and the voting on the draft resolutions,” he said.
“But even when Council members and non-member participants demonstrate markedly different positions, the Security Council and the UN itself can gain or lose credibility depending on how orderly and professionally Council meetings are conducted.”