Suzanne Dimaggio of the United Nations Association of the United States recently asked former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Thomas Pickering for his thoughts on the selection of the next UNSG. Ambassador Pickering will be heading up a task force of UNA-USA on the selection process in the coming months. Interested visitors can download or stream a video of the interview on the UNA-USA’s website.

Ambassador Pickering, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the UN during the selection of Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, was asked his views about the tradition of regional rotation, how the UNSG should be chosen, and what qualities he or she should possess. The next UNSG, the Ambassador suggested, must be

“…an extremely successful diplomatic manager, someone who understood the major issues, understood the organization, how to successful manage the organization, was capable of delegating, and had, in every sense, the stature, the personal qualities, the ability to make the rest of the world – the members states of the organization and the public at large – have confidence in him or her.”

To select the most qualified person for the post, Ambassador Pickering called for a stronger role for the General Assembly in suggesting qualified individuals to the Security Council or a formal search committee of “…very highly qualified members – perhaps former heads of states from all regions – who could put together a slate that they could agree with; that would be one input to the process.” He suggested that regionality was one criterion, but that others, including gender, should have as much importance in consideration.

“If you don’t begin with a rich mixture of excellent candidates, the end result is not likely to be the best person,” the Ambassador noted.

The African Group of nations at the United Nations has formally expressed its support for the next UNSG to be an Asian. Though not unexpected, the formal announcement shores up the likelihood of the regional rotation system remaining in place, if only technically. The African and Asian regional groups command 107 votes in the UN General Assembly, more than the necessary majority to confirm an Asian in the top post should the Security Council nominate a candidate from the region.

With the announcement, the six Asian and African Security Council members can be expected to back an Asian nominee, with at least four other members supporting the nominee on the basis of geographic rotation. No permanent member, including the United States, has suggesting it would veto an candidate from Asian chosen on the basis of the tradition rotation, provided he or she also brings strong administrative and management skills to the table.

“Canada hopes to stimulate an informed discussion on selecting the next UN Secretary-General. UNSG.org facilitates that by bringing aspects of this question forward in a knowledgeable and balanced way. It’s very helpful.”

Jayantha Dhanapala’s offical website – www.JayanthaDhanapala.com launched today, with the aim of “…[making] accessible to ‘the peoples of the United Nations’ the credentials, capabilities, views and values of Jayantha Dhanapala as he aspires to lead the UN through this critical juncture of its history.”

The site, in English and French, includes an exhaustive amount of material, including Dhanapala’s views on practically every issue which has or likely will confront the international community, as well as his personal journey from an 18-year old essay contest winner attending a student forum in New York (his essay was entitled “The World We Want”) to being Sri Lanka’s candidate for UN Secretary General.

In launching the campaign site (it cannot be described as anything but), Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera emphasized the challenges of reforming the world body.

“That is why it is imperative that the UN finds itself a leader who is able to marshal the necessary political goodwill to renew the Organization, consolidate its strengths, and rectify its shortcomings. The UN needs the leadership of a person who has the vision, experience and diplomatic skills to re-engineer the Organization, so that it will be able to meet the challenges ahead, and the person to me- is undoubtedly Jayantha Dhanapala.”

(For comparison, readers may wish to also visit Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai’s official website at www.surakiart.com.)

One reason that Ban Ki-Moon‘s nomination, decided last October, was delayed until this month, was, according to the Foreign Ministry, because “…an early announcement of its candidate could trigger mudslinging and harsh media scrutiny.”

Well, it’s still not too late, apparently.

On Friday, the candidate had to defend his candidacy against his government’s practice of abstaining on UN resolutions critical of North Korea‘s human rights record.

“I don’t think a specific issue like North Korean human rights has a direct connection to the bid for the UN secretary-general’s seat,” Ban told reporters. Asked by a CBS reporter whether the way the South Korean government handles human rights conditions in North Korea could hurt his bid for the UN job, Ban replied, “What the secretary general does is not directly related to a specific issue in a particular country.”

The minister said he was “well aware” of criticism of the South Korean government for abstaining on resolutions on North Korea’s human rights abuses in the world body. But he said the government had “taken many opportunities to demonstrate its concern about the issue.”

Ban recognizes that he will also face difficulties in securing Japan’s vote. Japan, presently a rotating member of the Security Council, was until last month strongly pressing for a permanent seat – a goal opposed by South Korea. Also, tensions escalated betweeen the two governments last October with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s publicized visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japanese war dead that South Koreans see as a glorification of Japanese militarism.

President Roh Moo-hyun considers getting Ban elected as the next UNSG a task “of unprecedented importance since the establishment of the government,” according to the online newspaper Dong-a Ilbo. The government’s representatives to the P5 members have apparently been put on the campaign trail for their countryman. Ambassador to Russia Kim Jae-soop is hoping to gain Russia’s vote by leveraging Ban’s friendship with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Ambassador to France Chu Cheol-ki is “going out of his way to collect relevant information,” given France’s silence on its position. Meanwhile, the country’s permanent ambassador to the UN, Choi Young-jin, is keeping tabs on possible movement in New York.

“At present, it is most important to keep tabs on the moves of the P5,” said Ambassador Choi. “That is why I keep my ears open for P5 developments while frequently participating in and having conversations with the P5.”

John Dauth, who has served as Australia’s ambassador to the UN for the past four years, is among those doubtful of Asia’s current field of candidates for the UNSG position:

“…we are, it’s true, great admirers for example of the Foreign Minister of Korea, who’s now an announced candidate, …although you know, I’d have to say to you in New York, I think that candidacies of Thailand and Sri Lanka are not necessarily travelling as well as perhaps they were…it remains the view of some in New York that we need a wider field of candidates.”

When asked whether the weak reception of Ban, Surakiart and Dhanapala could cost Asia its “turn” in the regional rotation, his response was unequivocal:

“Absolutely, I think that’s a real risk now…”

“The selection of the next secretary-general of the United Nations will not be decided on the basis of whether I or anybody else expresses any interest in the position. An expression of interest by anybody is a pure exercise of vanity.”
Washington Times
February 26, 2006

As a new feature of UNSG.org, we will be inviting special guest commentators to contribute their views on aspects of the UNSG selection process, the candidates and the decision-makers. Our first guest commentator is Ayca Ariyoruk, the Larger Freedoms research fellow with the Center for U.N. Reform Education in New York. Ms. Ariyoruk recently interviewed Jayantha Dhanapala and Surakiart Sathirathai on their respective candidacies for UNSG. As always, we invite your comments in providing feedback to our guest commentators. 

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It is about time the UN stops clinging to the age-old tradition of discouraging candidates for the top UN post from speaking and engaging in public debate. Candidates can not find in New York the ‘idea and debate-friendly’ environment they found in Davos. For that reason, they are pulling out of public speaking arrangements and are naturally hesitant to address wider audiences in close proximity to the UN, thinking it could undermine their candidacy. Representatives from the United States, France, China, Russia, and UK have a unique role in this. If they are indeed serious about strengthening the office of the secretary general, they should send a clear message that ‘speaking publicly will not automatically undermine candidacy’ and encourage candidates to articulate their vision. Promoting silence is undermining the calls for a new mindset at the United Nations.   

The process of selecting the secretary general should be viewed as an integral part of management reforms and improved in the same manner as the other high level appointments at the UN. Not only is this long over due, but it is also politically viable. A nice gesture on behalf of the great powers, it could positively impact the negotiations with the developing countries on other reforms, convincing them to go along with other management improvements targeted at strengthening the office of the secretary general. It is an ideal ‘position here, grant there’ situation; an opportunity to ease suspicions towards the management reforms and a position that would build confidence in the United States’ approach.

The present U.S. approach on management reforms – “Do as I say, don’t do as I do” – will not get them where they want to be, at least not fast enough. The group that represents the developing nations at the UN is firm, ready to react and to block any initiative which could potentially reduce their influence in the Secretariat. If the U.S. wants to see a secretary general that is not micromanaged by the 132 developing countries and a more accountable and transparent United Nations, than the U.S. should be prepared to give on this tradition. Ambassador Bolton could further U.S. interests in broader UN reform by promoting a transparent, inclusive process for the next secretary general selection and affirming that candidates will not be “punished” for speaking publicly and directly about their candidacy. This approach would preserve the Security Council accountablity in their choice of secretary general, respect the interests of developing nations, and benefit the world organization through a more effective and trusted Secretary General.

Now that the Security Council is discussing the selection process for the next UNSG, according to Ambassador Bolton, “to get a sense of where the Council is, so that we can begin to move forward…,” UNSG.org have set up a new page to better provide readers with a snapshot of positions believed to be held by the SC member states. The page will update regularly, reflecting news also reported via individual posts, but all in one place for readers’ convenience.

Jose Ramos-Horta is pointing out that he is not lobbying to succeed SG Annan, but he’s not denying interest in the post should the Security Council come knocking either.

Ramos Horta did not completely rule out becoming a candidate to take over from Annan.

“In politics one should not say never. That’s all I can say,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting between Indonesian and East Timor leaders in Bali.

Another dark-horse gaining visibility is Prince Zeid Raed al-Hussein of Jordan. Mentioned months ago in the earliest coverage of the race, Richard Holbrooke described him as “the deft and elegant young Jordanian ambassador to the UN” in his Feb. 3^rd WaPo article and Steve Clemons discusses Zeid in today’s Washington Note (thanks, kp!), noting his quiet but close working relationship with U.S. Ambassador Bolton.

…he has a major ally working quietly (believe it or not) on his behalf: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.

Bolton is currently the President of the UN Security Council (during the month of February) and is encouraging earlier deliberation on the potential successor to Annan than is traditional. What is traditional is for a name to come out of nowhere at the end of a complicated, opaque international negotiation and be announced practically at the very last moment.

Sources close to Bolton report that he has been meeting quite a number of the leading candidates for the Secretary General position, interviewing them as it were, and according to one source, the candidate who stands out so far among all others — in Bolton’s mind — is Prince Zeid.

Though discussed less frequently that Ban, Surakiart and Dhanapala, Zeid has never been absent from more thorough reports on the race. He has remained on this blog’s “serious speculation” list from the beginning. This quiet presence may serve him well, just as the assertive campaigning by Surakiart appears to be offending traditional sensibilities.