United Nations, Sep 28 (SocialNews.XYZ) The approaching selection of the next UN Secretary-General has entered the General Assembly debate, with leaders demanding stronger leadership and the Bahamas backing a Caribbean diplomat who could become the first woman to head the world body.
Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis endorsed Guyana’s UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the position, noting that all nine Secretaries-General since the organisation’s establishment had been men.
No person from the Caribbean has held the post.
Rodrigues-Birkett was formally nominated by Guyana and participated in an interactive dialogue with UN member states in June.
The next Secretary-General will inherit an organisation facing wars in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, financial pressure, geopolitical rivalry and growing questions about the Security Council’s ability to act.
Several leaders used their General Assembly addresses to describe the qualities and priorities they expected from the incoming UN chief.
Czech President Petr Pavel said the successor to António Guterres would face the defining task of adapting the organisation to intensifying geopolitical competition and fragmentation.
“Diplomacy matters most not between friends, but between adversaries,” Pavel said.
The United Nations remained indispensable as a forum for dialogue even when agreement appeared distant, he added.
Germany said the next Secretary-General must lead a far-reaching reform of the organisation and close the gap between what countries expected from the UN and the resources and authority they provided it.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said a functioning United Nations should help resolve conflicts rather than simply manage them.
China said the next UN chief should defend the Charter and demonstrate independence and integrity.
Beijing wanted a successor who “honors the UN Charter, has exceptional capability, upholds integrity and fairness, and demonstrates courage and dedication”, Vice President Han Zheng said.
China also argued that reform should strengthen the United Nations and increase the voice of the Global South rather than focus only on reducing budgets and mandates.
The United States presented a contrasting vision. President Donald Trump said his administration had helped implement “the most sweeping reform in UN history”, including budget cuts and the elimination of thousands of positions.
Trump said the organisation had “great potential” but must stop advancing policies imposed by unelected international officials.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the UN’s credibility had reached a low point because of the Security Council’s inability to prevent or resolve conflicts.
French President Emmanuel Macron also demanded institutional reform, saying the world faced a choice between international order and “a return to the law of the jungle”.
The calls placed the next Secretary-General at the centre of a larger contest over the UN’s future.
Some governments want the organisation to gain greater authority to address wars, climate change, artificial intelligence and inequality. Others want a smaller institution with fewer mandates and stronger respect for national sovereignty.
The gender question adds another dimension. Despite repeated calls for greater representation of women in senior international positions, no woman has served as UN Secretary-General since the organisation was founded in 1945.
The selection is formally made by the General Assembly following a recommendation from the Security Council. Because each of the council’s five permanent members can block a candidate, the process requires agreement among China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States.
Guterres is due to leave office at the end of 2026 after serving two five-year terms. His successor will take office on January 1, 2027.
Source: IANS
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