UN Holds 1st Ever Debate for Next Secretary General

New York, 08 Syawal 1437/14 July 2016 (MINA) – For the first time, candidates for the position of next Secretary General took part in a globally televised and webcast event in the General Assembly Hall, taking questions from diplomats and the public at large, KUNA reported.

The event was organized and hosted by the UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft. It ran under the title “Leading the United Nations: A Global Townhall with UN Secretary-General Candidates” and was distinct from the two-hour informal dialogues with candidates that have taken place over the past few months.

In this occasion, GA President Lykketoft said that in the past, UN Secretaries General have been chosen behind closed doors, yet this time, the General Assembly wants to ensure all UN member states and the entire world have a chance to know who the candidates are, what their vision is, and see how they perform.

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“This Townhall is another way to enhance public interest in the mission and work of the United Nations and the need for the best possible candidate for our next Secretary General,” he added.

Ten of the 12 official candidates-nominated by their governments to take over at the helm of the UN Secretariat when current Secretary General Ban Ki-moon leaves his post at the end of 2016 were engaged in a wide-ranging 60-minute discussion about the challenges and opportunities facing the organization.

The candidates were split into two groups; each was given the opportunity at the start to make their case for the job and explain their vision.

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First group: Vesna Pusic of Croatia, Antonio Guterres of Portugal, Susana Malcorra of Argentina, Vuk Jeremic of Serbia and Natalia Gherman of Moldova. The second group included UNDP head Helen Clark of New Zealand, Danilo Turk of Slovenia, Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica, Igor Luksic of Montenegro and UNESCO’s Irina Bokova of Bulgaria.

The two candidates unable to attend the event in New York are Srgjan Kerim the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Miroslav Lajcak of Slovak Republic. However, both have sent messages, read and displayed at the event.

The position of Secretary-General is one of great importance that requires the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, and a firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

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One of the most vital roles played by the Secretary General is the use of his “good offices” steps taken publicly and in private, drawing upon his independence, impartiality, and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating, or spreading.

The President of the General Assembly and of the Security Council invite candidates to be presented with proven leadership and managerial abilities, extensive experience in international relations, and strong diplomatic, communication and multilingual skills. Each candidate posted their vision publicly for everyone to see.

The 1,900 seat General Assembly Hall was filled with ambassadors, diplomats, UN staff, journalists, as well as leaders from business and civil societies. T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islami News Agency (MINA)