Crisis-stricken UN seeks next secretary-general

 

Kristin Groth/TT

 

Published 06:30

          

         Outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres at a Security Council meeting in May. Photo:                 Seth Wenig/AP/TT

Seven people are competing to become the new UN Secretary-General after António Guterres.

The next UN chief will take over a crisis-stricken world organization, shaken by harsh criticism and deadlocks in the Security Council.

The UN has been put to the test during António Guterres' time at the helm. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza have been difficult for the Security Council to handle, where the five permanent members France, China, Russia, Britain and the United States have veto power.

António Guterres himself has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the Council's efforts.

External criticism has not been kind either. Among other things, the veto power has been questioned after Russia and the United States were able to put a stop to resolutions that other members wanted to hammer through due to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

“Dysfunctional”

Even the UN’s own refugee commissioner, Filippo Grandi, has called the UN a “pretty dysfunctional body.”

“The institution is no stronger than its member states. That’s where the erosion is happening and that’s where the UN’s reputation as a system for international coexistence is fading,” he said in an interview with TT last year.

US President Donald Trump has also called the UN ineffective.

“All they seem to do is write a sharply worded letter and then never follow up on that letter. They are empty words, and empty words don’t solve wars,” he said last fall.

The question is whether a new secretary-general can make a difference. So far, only men have held the prestigious position. The UN has therefore encouraged member states to nominate women, but does not see it as a formal selection criterion.

Geography can play a role

There is also a certain tradition of geographical spread when it comes to choosing leaders, which means that a person from Latin America can be a good fit. Of the previous secretaries-general, four have come from Europe, two from Asia, two from Africa and one from Latin America.

Although there are currently seven nominees, other candidates could also be considered if the Security Council members cannot agree on any of the seven on the list. The five permanent members of the Security Council also have veto power in the selection of a new UN chief.

Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile and UN human rights chief, is one of the hottest names for the top job. In her statement about what she wants for the UN, she writes, among other things, that the future of the UN will depend on “its ability to adapt, innovate and lead”.

Who gets the job is decided by the General Assembly after the Security Council has reviewed the candidates and made a recommendation.

Facts

The nominees for the UN’s top job

Michelle Bachelet, Chile. Former President of Chile, Head of the UN Women agency and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

María Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador. Former President of the UN General Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the UN.

Rafael Grossi, Argentina. Director General of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency.

Rebeca Grynspan, Costa Rica. Former Vice President of Costa Rica and Secretary-General of the UN trade agency Unctad.

Carolyn Rodrigues, Guyana. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN.

Macky Sall, Senegal. Former President of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union.

Olara Otunnu, Uganda. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and UN Envoy. Served as Under-Secretary-General and Envoy for Children and Armed Conflict from 1997 to 2005.

Source: UN

Facts

Nine Secretaries-General until 2026

The new UN Secretary-General will take office on 1 January 2027 and will be the UN's tenth in the order. The nine previous holders of the post have all been men:

António Guterres, Portugal, 2017 to 2026

Ban Ki-Moon, South Korea, 2007 to 2016

Kofi Annan, Ghana, 1997 to 2006

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Egypt, 1992 to 1996

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Peru, 1982 to 1991

Kurt Waldheim, Austria, 1972 to 1981

U Thant, Myanmar (Burma), 1961 to 1971

Dag Hammarskjöld, Sweden, 1953 to 1961

Trygve Lie, Norway, 1946 to 1952

Source: UN

Facts

The UN and the General Assembly

The United Nations was formed during the final stages of World War II. The UN Charter was signed by 51 member states in the summer of 1945 and entered into force on 24 October of the same year. Today, the UN has 193 member states.

The work is led by the Secretary-General and is largely based on the UN Charter.

Important chambers where decisions are made are the General Assembly, the Security Council and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

In the General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, the 193 member states each have their own seat and vote. Decisions are made in the form of resolutions that are not binding on the member states. However, they are considered morally binding as they are a reflection of world opinion. A new General Assembly begins each year in September. The general debate is also held at that time, when leaders from the member states speak in the chamber, hold individual meetings and put forward initiatives.

Source: UN