Four candidates to lead the United Nations face public questioning at the organisation's New York headquarters this week, only the second time the UN has held such an open forum. Among the candidates are three from South America and one from Africa, Senegal's former president Macky Sall.
Sall, along with Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Argentina's Rafael Grossi, and Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan are to face questions from by 193 member states and NGOs for three hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The public Q&A format was created in 2016 to boost transparency, though the five permanent members of the Security Council still hold veto power power over who becomes the next Secretary-General.
All four candidates to take over when Antonio Guterres, who steps down on 31 December, pledge to grow trust in the bitterly divided organisation that is financial collapse after the US cut funds.
US President Donald Trump's envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, has recently warned that the next chief must align with "American values and interests", and that Washington would back the best candidate.
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Former African president
Sall, 64, is the only candidate who does not come from Latin America, which according to the convention of rotation among continents is where the next UN boss should come from.
The former Senegalese president has stressed the link between peace and development in his pitch to lead the UN, saying peace can never be "sustainable" if development is undermined "by poverty, inequality, exclusion and climate vulnerability".
Sall was proposed by Burundi, the current chair of the African Union, but he has failed to garner support from the regional African bloc nor from his own country.
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Senegalese authorities accuse him of bloodily repressing violent political demonstrations that left dozens dead between 2021 and 2024.
"The way all this has been done has divided Africa and unfortunately tarnishes the start of the Burundian head of state's AU presidency," an diplomat told RFI. "This risks undermining his presidency."
Selection in the summer
The selection process was launched in November and the Security Council will begin its final selection by the end of July.
The 15 members of the Security Council, particularly the five veto-wielding permanent members (United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom, France), have always played a critical role in the selection process.
It is only on the Council's recommendation that the General Assembly, which comprises all UN member states, can elect a Secretary-General for a five-year term, which is renewable once.
The UN's tradition of geographical rotation is not always observed, but if it is this year the position of UN Secretary-General should be sought by Latin America. With three candidates from that region, Sall seems to stand a very little chance.
Many states are also urging the post go to a woman, which would be the first time.
(with newswires)
