Reference News Network, November 26 report - According to AFP, the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General was officially launched on the 25th, with a call for candidates sent to all member states. The new Secretary-General will succeed Antonio Guterres starting January 1, 2027.
The report stated that the permanent representative of Sierra Leone, the rotating chair of the UN Security Council, Michael Imran Khan, and the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, have sent a joint letter to the 193 member states, officially launching the UN Secretary-General selection process through a "call for candidates."
In the letter, they emphasized: "The position of the UN Secretary-General is of great responsibility and must meet the highest standards of efficiency, ability, and integrity, and firmly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter."
They also required candidates to have rich experience in handling international relations as well as diplomatic and language skills.
Although some member states explicitly advocated that the final selection should be a woman for this position, this idea has not yet reached consensus.
The letter stated: "We regret to note that no woman has ever served as Secretary-General," and therefore encouraged member states to "consider nominating female candidates."
Currently known informally multiple candidates include: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, current Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, and Costa Rican Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan, among others.
According to a regional rotation tradition that is not always followed, the next Secretary-General should be from the Latin American region. Although the joint letter mentioned the importance of regional diversity, it did not specify a particular region.
The letter also clearly stated that the UN General Assembly and the Security Council will hold public hearings for candidates, a transparent procedure initiated during the 2016 selection process, when Guterres received his first term. (Translated by Liu Zhuo)
The United Nations logo on the entrance of the United Nations Headquarters in New York (AFP photo)
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