The process for electing the next UN Secretary-General is set to begin in earnest. According to the UN on the 6th, an “interactive dialogue” with candidates to succeed current Secretary-General António Guterres will be held on the 21st and 22nd.
In a letter sent to member states on the 2nd, Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, announced that an interactive dialogue session with the four candidates for the next Secretary-General would be held at the UN headquarters in New York for two days starting on the 21st. The debates are conducted with two candidates per day, divided into morning and afternoon sessions, with each candidate speaking for three hours.
Currently, there are four registered candidates: former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Argentine International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, former Costa Rican Vice President Rebecca Greenspan, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. As the next head of the United Nations, they are scheduled to deliver a “Vision Statement” outlining their policy directions.
Member states may request three minutes to speak, and civil society organizations can also submit questions in advance. The event is broadcast online, allowing the public to watch. This type of debate was first introduced during the 2016 election of current Secretary-General António Guterres, implemented to enhance transparency and move away from past closed-door elections.
At the time, Secretary-General Guterres, who had been overlooked, distinguished himself during the debates, rapidly emerging as a leading candidate and ultimately leading to his election. This debate is also expected to go beyond mere formalities and serve as a substantive arena for candidates to demonstrate their actual operational capabilities for the United Nations over the course of three hours.
Participating member states are expected to evaluate the candidates with consideration for UN reform and friendly relations with their own countries. The debates may not be a one-off event but could continue. Diplomatic circles anticipate that the pool of candidates will also change through additional registrations or withdrawals. A specific schedule for the future has not yet been set.
To be appointed Secretary-General, a candidate must secure the approval of at least nine of the 15 Security Council member states; in particular, none of the five permanent members—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France—must exercise their veto power.