The New UN Secretary-General

It is very likely that on October 6 we will find out the name of the new UN Secretary General. Preliminary estimates grant victory to Antonio Guterres, Portugal’s former Prime Minister. RIAC editing team suggests you take a look at the candidate’s basic proposals on conflict prevention and peace operations, human rights, sustainable development and the UN revitalization.

It is very likely that on October 6 we will find out the name of the new UN Secretary General. Preliminary estimates grant victory to Antonio Guterres, Portugal’s former Prime Minister. RIAC editing team suggests you take a look at the candidate’s basic proposals on conflict prevention and peace operations, human rights, sustainable development and the UN revitalization.

 

1. Antonio Guterres (Portugal)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

We need a surge in diplomacy for peace. Under the guidance of the Security Council and in accordance with the Charter, the SG should actively, consistently and tirelessly exercise his good offices and mediation capacity as an honest broker, bridge builder and messenger of peace.

The reviews on peacekeeping, peacebuilding and on women, peace and security create a unique opportunity to develop a comprehensive, modern and effective operational peace architecture, encompassing prevention, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and long-term development - the "peace continuum".

Prevention is also crucial to combating terrorism. Force must be used when necessary and in accordance with the Charter, but let us not forget that it is also a battle for values; our common battle. To prevent them, we need to foster inclusion, solidarity and the cohesion of multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious societies.

Further investment in capacity and institution-building of States is another central element of prevention, promoting inclusive and sustainable development, overcoming fragilities and strengthening the ability of Governments to address the needs of their people and respect their rights.

Human Rights

The UN must be at the forefront of the global movement towards gender equality, an inalienable and indivisible feature of all human rights and fundamental freedoms: progressively moving from perceiving women and girls as a subject of protection to promoting their empowerment; from an isolated focus on women to gender mainstreaming.

States that are the largest recipients of refugees, pillars of regional stability and first line of defense of our collective security, should be a priority of development cooperation and UN agencies' support, even if middle-income countries;

The UN should ensure the primacy of political solutions at all stages, promote preventive approaches, mainstream human rights, and foster inclusive engagement and empowerment of women and girls.

United Nations Revitalization

The key to further enhancing UN's effectiveness is attitude: cooperation instead of duplication, sharing instead of competing, and collective responsibility instead of circumstantial individual interests. This requires leadership and more and better coordination - delivery-centered, not process oriented.

To ensure effective multilateralism, the UN needs to develop a strong culture of partnership by increasing cooperation with regional organizations, strengthening partnerships with International Financial Institutions, and enhancing engagement with civil society and the private sector.

The SG should present and implement a road map for gender parity at all levels, with clear benchmarks and timeframes within the next mandate, giving priority to senior staff selection.

Sustainable Development

The world spends much more energy and resources managing crises than preventing them. Thus the UN must uphold a strategic commitment to a "culture of prevention", pledged in 2005 but yet to materialize.

2. Vuk Jeremic (Republic of Serbia)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

The Secretary-General will develop a framework for a new generation of UN stabilization missions, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa. Such missions would have more robust rules of engagement; better equipment and combat logistics; a strong civilian component; and streamlined procedures to rapidly recruit qualified personnel.

The Secretary-General will develop a five-year plan to consolidate the UN's contribution to peace in Africa and transition a range of security responsibilities to the AU and sub-regional organizations.

The Secretary-General will set up a Working Group on Terrorism, Extremism, Information, and Technology to propose strategies to effectively counter the propaganda efforts of terrorists and violent extremists, in addition to starting a program to develop responses to nonconventional security threats. The Secretary-General will advocate strengthening the international regime against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms.

Human Rights

The Secretary-General will strongly advocate for greater human rights protection around the world, as a core UN purpose. In addition, the Secretary-General will work with the General Assembly, Member States, and external donors to increase the overall budget of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights by 50 percent on a sustainable basis.

From Day One, the Secretary-General will appoint qualified women to 50 percent of UN Under Secretary-General or equivalent positions, achieve gender parity in appointments for SRSG/DSRSDs and UN Resident Coordinators, and establish better recruitment policies for exceptional individuals worldwide.

The Secretary-General will vigorously engage with youth and make more programs available for young professionals to interact with, learn from, and contribute to the UN.

United Nations Revitalization

The Secretary-General will appoint a high-profile Emergency Relief Coordinator and a new high- level Special Envoy who will be tasked with mobilizing resources to address funding and organizational shortfalls, with an emphasis on Middle Eastern and African refugee crises as well as disaster relief.

Sustainable Development

The pledge to "leave no one behind" and assure sustainable development in less than two decades will not be accomplished by inertia or automation. Such a comprehensive undertaking will necessitate a coordinated, multilateral, inclusive, goal-oriented, and solutions-driven global campaign, guided by the ninth Secretary-General.

Climate Change

The Secretary-General will be the foremost advocate of the 2030 Agenda, including its climate provisions, and will direct the UN System to prioritize work on this core issue. The Secretary-General will work relentlessly with Heads of State and Government to assist them in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions to fight climate change.

3. Natalia Gherman (Republic of Moldova)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

Prevention remains the most efficient and cost-effective tool. The Secretary-General should ensure that effective early warning mechanisms are used to assist the Security Council in the discharge of its responsibilities. The Secretary-General must take the initiative and urgently employ her/his good offices to defuse tensions and preserve the peace. The UN should engage, even more actively than now, regional arrangements under Chapter VIII of the Charter, in a concerted effort of maintaining international peace and security.

Human Rights

We have to operationalize the Women, Peace and Security agenda in order to empower more women to contribute to peace efforts.

The Secretary-General should advance strong partnerships with Member States to promote national ownership and encourage inclusive reforms and policies for the respect of human rights.

The principle of nondiscrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion or culture should guide our administrative decisions and be strictly respected in our operations, in close cooperation with Member States.

Humanitarian Response

We will need to redouble efforts to find political solutions to conflicts and address the other drivers of forced displacement. The international community will need to provide protection for refugees and asylum-seekers, as well as develop protection mechanisms and durable solutions for internally displaced persons. We need to increase the impact and effectiveness of the humanitarian response, while ensuring adequate and predictable financing for humanitarian action. We need to strengthen the resilience of affected and vulnerable communities, while supporting refugee receiving countries.

United Nations Revitalization

The UN Secretary-General has to be ready to ensure connectivity between the global and regional levels, facilitating the efforts of all relevant actors. The UN can further improve the assistance that it provides to Member States in implementation of relevant international conventions and protocols.

The Secretary-General should ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response of UN's departments, funds, programmes, as well as specialized and related agencies. Closer engagement with all relevant actors on the ground will be important to advance joint planning, optimize resources at hand, and scale-up impact.

Sustainable Development

The Secretary-General, working closely with Member States, particularly the Economic and Social Council should reach out to all relevant stakeholders, particularly regional organizations, and inspire and mobilize support to assist in establishing the needed partnerships to drive this transformation.

4.     Irina Bokova (Bulgaria)

In any action that I would undertake if elected, I would abide by the principles of the United Nations and the responsibilities of the Secretary-General, defined in Chapter XV of the United Nations Charter. It would take careful account of the concerns of all Member States, while always upholding the shared values and moral authority of the United Nations, to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights for all.

We need to give diplomacy a chance, through comprehensive strategies to accompany societies from crisis to stability, to build resilience and prevent fallback. We need an unbroken chain of action, through recovery and reconstruction to development and resilience.

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

Should I be elected, I would spare no effort in deploying the good offices of the Secretary-General and all relevant mechanisms, to strengthen the Organization's preventive role.

I am convinced that in the face of a new generation of threats, we must redefine and revitalize peace operations in accordance with the United Nations Charter and in consultation with the Security Council. These must bolster viable political processes, building on new security partnerships and more field-focused, people-centered and coherent approaches.

We need similar integrated action to tackle the threat posed by violent extremism and terrorism - which should never be associated with any religion or belief, nationality or ethnic group.

Human Rights

Advancing the human rights and dignity of every man and woman must be the starting point of all our efforts and the standard to judge their success. Respecting them would lead to the establishment of fair societies and would guarantee an equal participation for both men and women in the social, political and economic life.

United Nations Revitalization

The UN should live up to the expectations of all Member States as being the unique common ground where they can meet to discuss issues leaving their prejudices behind. We must move forward to a new generation of Delivering as One guided by the principles of transparency and accountability and driven by a result-based approach. If elected, I would promote a renewed synergy between the Member States and the Secretary-General in order to achieve rationalization and optimization of management, administrative costs and human resources development.

5.     Danilo Turk (Slovenia)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations 

The Secretary-General must take initiatives to help governments to confront emerging threats to international peace and security and must use all avenues for good offices and fact-finding in a wise and timely manner.

The capabilities and performance of peacekeeping, a key instrument of the UN, as well as of the special political missions, must be constantly strengthened and operationally improved, for which clear and achievable mandates must be set by the Security Council.

Human Rights and Humanitarian Work

Respect and implementation of human rights are primarily a responsibility of states, and priorities vary, but it is possible to respect both human rights and state sovereignty by judicious multilateral cooperation. Therefore, UN organs in the field of human rights must be strengthened and human rights activities further mainstreamed into all major aspects of the UN work.

Manifestly, women's rights in particular are central to achieving any part of this entire vision. Women can and will play a strongly positive role in all fields. The Secretary-General must be committed to the strengthening of their roles and responsibilities - in all UN policies and programs as well as at all levels of UN decision-making.

United Nations Revitalization

The Secretary-General must be prepared and able to work with all Member States on all sides of thorny issues, to facilitate constructive solutions that will make a genuine difference for the people. The Secretary-General must build connections and trust among Member States of the UN as well as between them and the Organization.

The Secretary-General must coordinate closely with regional organizations to develop strong partnerships. Working closely with African Union deserves special attention, in particular in the field of peacekeeping.

The Secretary-General must be able to relate effectively with protagonists that present opportunities and challenges beyond the realm of governments. The vision of the Secretary-General must encompass the legitimate expectations of civil society, the private sector and academia.

The transformational nature of future reforms must necessarily take place in the context of political realities. Building on the efforts of my predecessors, and in coordination with the General Assembly, I would assign high priority to streamlining the bureaucratic processes that have become an obstacle to efficient management.

Sustainable Development

The UN needs a strong moral commitment to its original purposes and objectives in its effort to reduce and eliminate extreme poverty, to ensure sustainability of economic and social development, to strengthen human dignity and rights and to prevent violent conflicts.The Secretary-General should play a catalytic role in the process of implementation of the agreements with the involvement of civil society, the private sector and academia.

6.     Igor Luksic (Montenegro)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

Confronting security challenges through compliance with international law warrant our collective efforts to be redoubled towards:

-       Placing primacy on political solutions for achieving sustained peace;

-       Greater prioritization and strengthening of mediation capacities and tools across the UN;

-       Stronger partnership and collaboration with regional and sub-regional organizations;

-       Revitalization of disarmament and non-proliferation agenda;

-       Further mainstreaming of R2P agenda within the UN and utilization of HRuF initiative for the benefit of prevention.

Human Rights and Humanitarian Work

There is no better way to achieve peace and security, foster development and protect human rights than by pursuing our common Agenda through global and coordinated endeavor supported by extended partnerships.

Reducing inequalities and combating discrimination requires system-wide coordinated engagement and further strengthening of collaboration between UN entities. UNCTs must perform in terms of raising awareness of the existing international legal instruments and standards and building up capacities of states for the development of policies and mechanisms that will improve their abilities to counter discrimination and to fully realize human rights.

United Nations Revitalization

The role of the next Secretary General will not be to reinvent the wheel, but to make sure to optimize delivering on agendas agreed including through mobilizing collective wisdom to make the UN more effective, efficient and relevant.

The UN system, including all agencies, programs and funds, should be improved in a way to ensure policy coherence and close collaboration, while drawing on each other's expertise. In order to avoid duplication, it is critical to define leading UN AFPs (UN agencies, funds and programmes) for each goal, which should be results-oriented and clustershaped, without giving any single AFP exclusive ownership of or responsibility for the review of a specific goal.

Cooperation must be strengthened with other multilateral partners (WB, IMF, OEeD, WTO), but also with regional arrangements for ensuring adequate support/expertise related to specific goals and targets.

In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness on the ground, we need to reinforce partnerships with Governments, civil society, NHRIs and regional organizations.

Extending partnerships should lead to avoiding duplications and more effective role of other donors including the private sector.

Sustainable Development

UN Regional Economic Commissions should be an important player in the establishment of Regional Fora for Sustainable Development consisting of different stakeholders, which can be pivotal in making sure the global development agreements are implemented.

UN Development Group should be transformed into a UN Sustainable Development Group, co-chaired by the UNDP Chief Administrator and Human Rights High Commissioner, and with participation of AFPs defined for each SDGS, along with other multilateral and regional partners as observers, should be put in place. UNSD Group should make sure that the new generation of UNDAFs fully reflects the overlapping and complementary Agendas related to development and human rights.

7.     Srgjan Kerim (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

It is my vision and goal that improving the peacekeeping and peacebuilding dimension of the UN activities must be one of the highest priorities on the agenda.

Now more than ever we witness the necessity to reevaluate and go back to mediation as a major tool for resolving conflicts, especially in times of crisis and conflicts of more complex character.

I realize the need to strengthen the implementation of the UN counter-terrorism strategy in combating violent extremism. A systemic and well-coordinated cooperation between the United Nations, political governments, regional organization, businesses and non-state actors can be the key to establishing significant networks in adequately combating terrorism.

I believe, needed efforts must be delegated to further development and support of peacebuilding participants in detecting any possible shortcomings or obstacles that can hinder the process of stabilization.

The UN and its General Assembly should be the main nexus in the global action aimed at building a world where every individual is guaranteed freedom from fear and freedom from want, with an equal opportunity to fully develop their human potential.

Human Rights

The notion of gender equality and closing the gender gap represents one of the major priorities in my UN platform, as an absolute prerequisite for achieving a just and democratic society.

The United Nations has set the foundational basis for the protection of human rights by establishing legal framework, international treaties and instituting key organs that will promote and honor the principles delegated in the latter framework. Although such institutions and documents exist within the UN system, much needed time and effort must be devoted to strengthening these mechanisms as essential to detecting and monitoring violation of the basic human rights and ensuring a pathway for individual freedom and dignity.

United Nations Revitalization

My first priority is management reform. We need a more active and coherent United Nations system and stronger engagement from all members of the General Assembly setting up concrete targets and deadlines for the implementation of the management reform should be of highest priority for the Secretary General and the Secretariat.

Equal representation whether on the basis of gender or geographic representation is essential for maintaining an efficient and cohesive organization where the voices of all groups and individuals become heard.

We need to have a road map composed of a chain of decisions, which will take us to the doors of the UN Charter, in order to complete this extraordinarily important and complex process.

The General Assembly must become more relevant, effective and transparent in practicing and communicating its functions and powers, as stipulated in Articles 10 to17 in the Charter of the United Nations.

The partnerships between the United Nations and respective organizations such as the European Union, the African Union, ASEAN, UNASUR, MERCOSUR can essentially contribute to preservation of peace and security globally, regionally and locally.

Sustainable Development

As one of my priorities, I believe that the global development and progress of our societies depends on having educated, skilled and socially cognizant citizenry. Both access to education, health and the eradication of poverty through equal employment should remain high priorities for the next Secretary General.

I fully recognize and support Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as a tool and mechanism which can essentially contribute to the implementation of the financing for development goals.

Climate Change

Encouraging concerned businesses to find a comprehensive solution to climate change is a highly effective approach. The United Nations should serve as the driving force to engage the whole world community and lead a joint action in keeping global warming under control.

8.     Helen Clark (New Zealand)

In order to deliver for current and future generations, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development, Peace and Security, and Human Rights agenda should prioritize:

-       Ending poverty and achieving inclusive and sustainable growth;

-       Preventing global environmental degradation and building resilience;

-       Faster progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment;

-       Creating opportunities for youth;

-       Maintaining the impartiality and integrity of the United Nations.

The United Nations system has improved implementation of the decisions made by Member States, but we must continue to be ambitious to realise our shared commitments to development. The peacebuilding agenda is crucial to ensuring countries are engaged to prevent vicious cycles of conflict and to sustain peace.

We must continue to mobilise political momentum and resources for practical actions to implement the 2030 Agenda and related development frameworks to ensure that no one is left behind.

We have the largest generation of young people our world has ever known. As they always have, youth seek secure livelihoods, education and training, health services, and engagement in political and civic life.

United Nations Revitalization

The United Nations needs to adapt and improve to perform at its best by focusing on results, delivering real transparency, investing in people and performance, championing coherence.

To respond effectively the United Nations must deliver first class crisis management, take actions that are tailored and flexible, convene for solutions. The United Nations system must be better connected and equipped to anticipate world events, so that reliable information and advice can flow to those that need it.

The United Nations’ resources are unparalleled, but the links between peace operations, humanitarian responses, human rights, peacebuilding and development programmes need to be seamless and based on strong partnerships.

9.     Miroslav Lajcak (Slovak Republic)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

Early warning is an essential first step for conflict prevention, yet, it has been difficult and infrequent. I consider early detection and prevention of conflicts to be a key role of the Secretary-General in close cooperation with the Security Council.

We, together, must ensure that the Organization is better suited to prepare 3 and implement preventive action and mediation in order to more efficiently address threats to international peace and security.

The UN should also do more to help countries build their own national capacities for conflict prevention.

The new Secretary-General should continue the necessary work to strengthen the planning and operational capacities, both at Headquarters and in the field. In the face of growing demand and rising costs, the Secretariat must be suitably equipped to manage the complex needs of peacekeeping operations.

I am committed to ensuring that gender perspective is fully incorporated in UN’s peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building activities.

The main prerequisite of successful peace-building remains national ownership, absolute inclusivity of all parts of population and custom-made approach.

Human Rights

Human rights must be increasingly mainstreamed across all core activities of the United Nations, including in development, peace and security. Equally, they must be adequately resourced. Considering their prominence in the context of peace and sustainable development, I would engage in a constructive dialogue with Member States to address persisting sensitivities surrounding the topic of human rights.

United Nations Revitalization

It is therefore paramount to ensure that the UN's management is transparent and accountable at all levels, and the oversight mechanisms are strong and independent.

General has to concentrate on building the next dynamic and modern global workforce able to face the growing demands.

The Secretary-General must support the advancement of staff through continuous learning and enhanced mobility.

The selection process, including for top officials, must be based on merit and competence, complying with policies related to gender balance and geographic diversity.

As the UN engages more coherently with outside partners, there is a need to set up clear and transparent rules especially in the area of financing to prevent corrupt practices and misuse of funds.

Sustainable Development

The next Secretary-General will have to further promote solidarity and effectively mobilise world leaders around the post-2015 frameworks for sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change.

The UN development pillar needs to effectively adapt to the new realities and the changing development landscape. The focus must be placed on the poor, the vulnerable and the youth.

10. Susana Malcorra (Argentina)

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

It is essential that the Security Council, host countries and troop contributors work seamlessly to build and maintain a common vision of the mandate and the mission. There are no easy solutions, but the Secretary-General must work together with Member States to forge the political commitments to prevent and not just mitigate conflict.

Human Rights

Acknowledging that promoting, protecting and respecting human rights is ultimately the responsibility of sovereign States, the multilateral platform afforded by the United Nations and its organs recognizes that there can be no peace or development without respect for and full enjoyment of human rights and the rule of law.

United Nations Revitalization

This new operational landscape demands a United Nations that inspires and welcomes innovation; that maximises and avails of all the opportunities at its disposal to create entry points for action; that is inclusive and effective in its partnerships, fully leveraging its capacities on the ground. In this environment, the Secretary-General must exercise the political acumen required to bridge impasses between Member States to facilitate progress.

The United Nations must work in close partnership with regional organizations with the legitimacy to support efforts to sustain peace, invest in sustainable development, and uphold human rights.

There is need for renewed focus on accountability, performance, transparency, and due diligence, beginning from senior leadership and cascading throughout the Organization.

The transformational leadership that is required will be exercised through leveraging the means and tools at the Organization's disposal and optimizing the space that Member States have granted to galvanize action and effectively convene actors around issues.

Shifting to an issues-based modus operandi necessarily defines a way forward that is foremost driven by what is needed to achieve progress and maximize impact. Yielding results through this approach will inculcate the confidence and support the organizational learning needed to unify the Organization around issues, not structures. 

Sustainable Development

Safeguarding reliable financing for development is critical to ensure that we make the necessary investments over the long term in reducing vulnerability that incites conflict, generates humanitarian need and imperils human rights in the short and medium-term.

Inclusivity is a guiding tenet of the 2030 Agenda with its pledge to leave no one behind. It calls upon us to transition from calling attention to the inclusion of people in marginalized situations to enabling their participation as key stakeholders. Addressing inequality obliges us to ensure that development is not only sustainable, but also equitable and affords access to all people to its dividends, including education and gainful employment.

11. Ghristiana Figueres (Costa Rica)

As Secretary-General I would pursue four core priorities.

1. Peaceful settlement of disputes and strengthening our crisis response capacity;

2. Planting the seeds today to achieve a sustained peace tomorrow;

3. Forging an inclusive model of multilateralism: collaborative diplomacy;

4. Strengthening the United Nations.

Conflict Prevention and Peace Operations

The UN and its Member States recognize their obligation not just to address security threats, and to protect civilians, but also to minimize the suffering of displaced people and to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

First, we need to embrace a more dynamic multilateralism that is already emerging. Second, we need to take responsibility for the fact that political and public attitudes underpin our ability to achieve ambitious multilateral agreements. By embracing this new form of multilateralism we can address the wide array of international peace and security threats we face. It is our best chance to improve the lives of people everywhere.

United Nations Revitalization

Reinforcing the role of the UN should start with greater investment in early-warning and reports to the Security Council, and in preventive diplomacy – both to be based on improved collaboration and information sharing.

We should consider whether the UN should develop a larger internationally-recruited cadre of facilitators with legal, diplomatic and humanitarian skills, so that sufficient resources can be mobilized quickly both before and after the Security Council has formally agreed UN action.

We need yet more joint planning between agencies and organizations, longer time frames for humanitarian programs, and flexible funding to better suit evolving relief needs.

In short, the Secretary-General should focus on creating an environment that allows us to achieve the best cooperation and collaboration possible among Member States.

She/he will have to lead the evolution of the organizational culture to one that enables instead of constrains operational activities, is results oriented, delegates more authority to the field, and does a better job at managing performance in order to move toward stronger accountability.

Human Rights

The Human Rights Up Front Initiative to ensure the UN system takes early action must be continued and strengthened. In the field we need to work together to ensure citizens around the world can freely speak their minds without reprisal, practice the religion they want without discrimination, and have equal opportunity no matter the markers of their identity.

We must recognize that greater gender equality means better outcomes for everyone, and that when we invest in a woman or a girl, we see the ripple effect of her potential, as well as the potential of her family, her community, and entire society.

Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda, encompassing the Sustainable Development Goals, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the Sendai Framework for Disaster and Risk Reduction, and the Paris Climate Agreement, give us a clear direction. Effective and coordinated implementation of these agendas on the ground is a fundamental pathway to food security, water security, energy security and the avoidance of forced migration.

The next Secretary-General must bring the full authority of her or his office to encourage and accelerate the efforts of a broad network of national and subnational governments, private sector, finance sector, insurance sector and civil society at large to implement the 2030 Agenda for people, planet, prosperity and - above all - peace.