Race to choose next UNSG moves to next phase

The race to choose the next United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) moves into another important phase on Friday, when the Security Council holds its second informal straw poll.

Eight candidates are now competing to succeed António Guterres, whose second term ends in December.

The field has grown since the first poll at the end of July with the two latest entrants — Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu and Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki – having spent the past two days making their case to UN member states.

Otunnu held his interactive dialogue on Wednesday, calling for sweeping reform and a restoration of what he described as the UN’s moral authority.

“I hope that my breadth and depth of experience covering some four decades, covering all three pillars of the United Nations, meaning peace and security, on which have worked in the Security Council as Under Secretary General, but also when I was president of International Peace Academy now, IPI (International Peace Institute) … my work on development and my work on human rights, human rights, together with Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, we cut our teeth in the struggle against the rule of Idi Amin in Uganda.

So, all my adult life I have been engaged in the promotion of human rights.

So, I hope that that breadth and depth of experience is what the UN needs today.” And on Thursday it was Ivonne A-Baki’s turn to engage with member states.

The Ecuadorian diplomat and former government minister was nominated by Tonga and becomes the eighth candidate in the race.

“I recently had a conversation with someone who asked me, how would you manage the UN? My response? I don’t intend to be a manager.

A manager is someone who follows a mission statement.

A leader is someone who follows a North Star.

My North Star for this world body is not necessarily reform.

It’s renewal.

Renewal of the promise of building peace and preventing war.