On the other side of the news, who will be the next president of the United Nations? An election that five countries can veto its outcome!
The Secretary General of the United Nations is about to change; but contrary to imagination, 193 countries do not go directly to the polls and choose the next president! The story is a bit more complicated and of course more confidential.
How is the selection made?
First, the Security Council, which has 15 members, examines the candidates. The five permanent members, America, Russia, China, Great Britain and France, have a special privilege: the right of veto!
In order for a candidate to pass, at least 9 votes are needed and none of the five permanent members must oppose him. Then the Security Council presents the final candidate to the General Assembly so that the 193 UN member states approve his appointment.
secret ballot; Like choosing the boss in a VIP club!
The Security Council gauges the opinion of the members in closed meetings and confidential documents. Each country can give a vote of encouragement, opposition or lack of opinion to a candidate. In the following stages, even the color of the papers is changed to determine which vote belongs to the five powerful councilors!
Who is in the competition?
There are currently eight candidates; But two characters are more interesting:
▫ Rebecca Greenspan from Costa Rica; President of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and former Vice President of Costa Rica. If elected, she will be the first woman Secretary-General of the United Nations.
▫ Rafael Grossi from Argentina; The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who is a familiar face to the Iranian audience.
In the last reported poll, Greenspan came in first with 12 popular votes; But no candidate was able to get the necessary support without the opposition of the permanent members.
Al Jazeera Associated Press.
What will happen next?
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' term ends on December 31, 2026, and his successor is scheduled to begin work on January 1, 2027.
There is also an interesting point: if an agreement is not reached by the end of the year, the UN Charter has not established a specific solution for such a situation!
One thing you should know: since the founding of the United Nations in 1945, no woman has reached the position of Secretary General. Will this 80-year record change this time?
The official channel of Donya Akhtaz newspaper.