Danilo Turk Archives

UN’s Newest Vote to Pick the Next Secretary-General? Guterres Wins Again

September 27, 2016September 26, 2016 by Dulcie Leimbach

António Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal who most recently was the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, once more dominated the latest straw poll held by the UN Security Council on selecting the next secretary-general. The five-year term starts Jan. 1, 2017, when Ban Ki-moon, a Korean, leaves office. The fifth poll, an … Read more UN’s Newest Vote to Pick the Next Secretary-General? Guterres Wins Again

Guterres Leads Latest Poll for UN Secretary-General Again, but It May Not Matter

September 9, 2016September 9, 2016 by Laura E. Kirkpatrick

The latest Security Council straw poll pointing to the selection of the next secretary-general of the United Nations happened on Sept. 9, with the results leaving António Guterres of Portugal still the front-runner ever since the informal, anonymous balloting began in the Security Council in July. The latest poll is the fourth such vote; the … Read more Guterres Leads Latest Poll for UN Secretary-General Again, but It May Not Matter

Only 1 Woman in Top-3 Winners Again in UN Secretary-General Vote

August 7, 2016August 5, 2016 by Lori Silberman Brauner

With 11 candidates left in the race this year for United Nations secretary-general, the Security Council held its second straw poll on Aug. 5, showing a slight shift in levels of support by the council’s 15 members, but placing António Guterres of Portugal at the top again. Yet once more, only one woman, this time … Read more Only 1 Woman in Top-3 Winners Again in UN Secretary-General Vote

Men Voting for Men: UN Security Council Holds Its First Straw Poll to Pick a Secretary-General

August 3, 2016July 21, 2016 by Dulcie Leimbach

United Nations Secretary General Straw Poll Webcast

The first straw poll to test the support of Security Council members for candidates vying to become the next United Nations secretary-general occurred Thursday morning. The vote took place amid strong interest by global media who report on the world body as well as the dozen candidates, the UN’s 193 member states and people who … Read more Men Voting for Men: UN Security Council Holds Its First Straw Poll to Pick a Secretary-General

Getting to Know the UN Secretary-General Candidates Better: A Wrap-Up of Two New York Forums

July 15, 2016July 14, 2016 by Laura E. Kirkpatrick

When it comes to the United Nations, the word “debate” takes on a civilized bearing, with no relation to heated contests among many sides. Over two nights this week at different settings in New York, UN secretary-general candidates campaigning to fill the shoes of Ban Ki-moon in January 2017 debated publicly. One event, held at … Read more Getting to Know the UN Secretary-General Candidates Better: A Wrap-Up of Two New York Forums

New Candidates for Secretary-General Make Their Cases at the UN

June 7, 2016 by Barbara Crossette

The field of nine candidates campaigning formally to become the next United Nations secretary-general grew by two on June 7, when Miroslav Lajcak, Slovakia’s foreign minister, and Susana Malcorra, who holds the same position in Argentina, spoke in public sessions lasting more than two hours each, taking questions from UN member delegates and civil society … Read more New Candidates for Secretary-General Make Their Cases at the UN

The Field Grows and Shifts in the Race for UN Secretary-General

July 1, 2016June 1, 2016 by Barbara Crossette

The second crop of campaigners making a pitch to replace Ban Ki-moon in January is now being assembled, and it looks like the first declared candidate on the list may well shake up the race. She is Susana Malcorra, Argentina’s foreign minister and a well-respected, internationally known former United Nations official. The next round of … Read more The Field Grows and Shifts in the Race for UN Secretary-General

Another First for Candidates for UN Secretary-General? Tweeting

April 23, 2016April 19, 2016 by Laura E. Kirkpatrick

This is not your grandfather’s election cycle. Will this be the year a woman is elected to one of the highest political positions in the world? What’s up with the surprise candidate gaining unexpected momentum? Can any candidate truly blend the need for the best-qualified administration with gender parity? It is unequivocal that this year’s … Read more Another First for Candidates for UN Secretary-General? Tweeting

A UN First After 70 Years: Open Campaigning for Secretary-General

May 23, 2016April 17, 2016 by Barbara Crossette

It was a week unprecedented in the history of the United Nations. From April 12 to 14, nine candidates for the office of secretary-general were put on a public stage in front of the world to make their cases as to why they should be elected to follow Ban-Ki-moon when his term ends this year. … Read more A UN First After 70 Years: Open Campaigning for Secretary-General

Eastern Europe Presses Its Claim to the Secretary-General’s Office

April 27, 2015April 13, 2015 by Barbara Crossette

In 70 years of United Nations history, Eastern Europe has been the only regional group in the organization that has never filled the position of secretary-general. Western Europe has had three secretaries-general; Asia and Africa, two each; and Latin America and the Caribbean, one. The 23 nations of the Eastern European region, determined to win … Read more Eastern Europe Presses Its Claim to the Secretary-General’s Office