Former Senegalese president Macky Sall closed the public hearings for candidates seeking to succeed António Guterres as United Nations secretary-general, presenting himself as a bridge-builder. He is the only African in the race and the only one of the four candidates never to have held a position within the UN.
During the three-hour hearing on Wednesday, the four candidates faced representatives from the 193 member states, and all pledged to continue reforming the organisation, whose stature has diminished in recent years.
During the public hearings, Sall outlined his vision for reform, through preventative diplomacy and streamlined organisational structures.
"Now is the time to do better with less," he said, with the aim of creating "a revitalised organisation that is able to see that its brightest days are ahead of it".
Senegal's Macky Sall faces rare public questioning in UN leadership race
Four candidates
Sall, along with former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, Chile’s former President Michelle Bachelet and Argentinean diplomat Rafael Grossi, are bidding for a five-year term which can be extended for another five.
To address his lack of experience within the UN, Sall highlighted his nearly 40 years of public service.
“What I wish to bring to the organisation is a tradition of exchange spanning many years with most of the leaders represented here by you, leaders in Africa, the G7 and the G20. From this journey, I have learned to dialogue, listen and consult,” he said.
“I have learned to drive reforms, arbitrate between priorities and make difficult decisions. I believe, with all humility, that in these challenging times for the organisation, the test of power has prepared me to understand the expectations of member states and to act effectively to meet them.”
During the public hearing, he addressed the issue of African debt, saying it must be addressed within a global framework, involving both developing countries and advanced economies.
He also announced that, if elected, his deputy would be a woman from a country from the global north.
Burundi nominates former Senegalese president Sall for UN chief
UN selection process
Sall also pushed for the allocation of two permanent seats on the Security Council to Africa, a demand backed by many on the continent.
Sall was nominated by Burundi, the current chair of the African Union, but has failed to garner support from his own country, where authorities accuse him of violently repressing political demonstrations that left dozens dead between 2021 and 2024.
The next step in the selection process will be this summer, and the Security Council will make a recommendation by the end of July.
The General Assembly of all member states will elect the new secretary-general by the end of the year.
