President Karis: The process of electing a new UN Secretary-General is as important as the candidate elected

While attending the UN General Assembly in New York, President Alar Karis has opened a debate organised by Estonia and the International Peace Institute on making the election of the UN Secretary-General more open and transparent. "It is clear that the incoming Secretary-General will have one of the hardest jobs in the world," he remarked. "Restoring the UN's credibility as a peacekeeper will require strong, principled leadership. The process of electing a new Secretary-General is as important as the candidate elected."

The head of state said the world stands witness to numerous violations of the UN Charter and attempts to supplant the rule of law by those who would rule by force. "The organisation is coming under immense pressure, caught as it is in the midst of geopolitical rifts and a crisis of multilateralism," he noted. "As such, the election of the next Secretary-General must be fair, open and transparent if we are to find the best possible candidate."

President Karis pointed out that as a member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) group, Estonia has always championed a fair and efficient election process. "Success in that regard means a perception among the international community that the process is fair, robust and transparent and leads to the appointment of the best person for the job," he said.

The head of state added that he considered it important for the General Assembly to play a bigger role in the election of the new Secretary-General. "With the permanent members of the Security Council deeply divided, and one of them waging a war of aggression against another member country, trust in the UN will not be restored if the choice of Secretary-General is left to the council alone," he cautioned. "That is why more than one candidate needs to be put forward to the General Assembly."

The timetable of the election and when key decisions will be taken should also be made public, President Karis urged, so that the next Secretary-General has sufficient time to prepare for their role. "The successful candidate must have a proven track record of supporting multilateralism and international law, and in the interests of transparency, all sources of funding related to their candidacy must be disclosed," he said. The head of state expressed his support for a woman being appointed to the role after eight decades of male leadership, through a fair and transparent process.

Gallery (Office of the President of the Republic/Raigo Pajula): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBuyWV