WUNRN
“The
resolution invites all countries "to consider presenting women as
candidates,” but also stresses the candidates must be highly competent.
UN
APPROVES MORE OPEN SELECTION OF THE NEXT SECRETARY-GENERAL, & CONSIDERATION
OF WOMEN
By The Associated Press - September 11, 2015
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly
voted unanimously Friday to make the largely secretive selection of the U.N.
secretary-general more open and transparent.
The
resolution adopted by consensus will allow the world body's 193 member states
for the first time to see basic information about all candidates to replace
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the start of 2017, including their resumes.
They will also have the chance to meet and question candidates.
Since the
U.N. was founded 70 years ago, the 15-member council has essentially picked the
U.N. chief in a closed meeting and handed the name to the General Assembly for
its approval. The five permanent council members with veto power, including the
United States, have had the strongest sway, and they will remain key players in
the selection.
Nonetheless, Friday's resolution significantly enhances the role of the
General Assembly, a move welcomed by its president, Sam Kutesa, who called it
"an important contribution to strengthening" the world body.
The
selection of Ban's successor will take place next year and the resolution
stresses the need for "gender and geographical balance while meeting the
highest possible requirements."
By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions. East
European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a
secretary-general and it is their turn. There has also never been a woman
secretary-general and more than 40 countries have expressed interest in
selecting the first female U.N. chief.
The resolution invites all countries "to consider presenting women as
candidates," but also stresses the candidates must be highly competent.
Colombia's
U.N. Ambassador María Mejía Vélez, a leading campaigner for a woman
secretary-general, called adoption of the resolution "a step in the right
direction."
Britain's
U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the assembly "that other things being
equal it is high time for a woman to lead the United Nations."
Russia's Ambassador Vitaly Churkin was a little more selective, telling reporters recently: "We support an Eastern European woman for secretary-general."