Ban Ki-Moon and the charade of transparency

UN propagandists claim that the selection process to name the next secretary general, who will take office before the inauguration of the next U.S. president, will be the most transparent in the history of the organization, which was founded in 1945.

But on close examination, the security council recommends a new secretary general based on "a private meeting."

This means that the politics and diplomacy that determine who becomes the next leader of the institution, and the roles of NGOs and civil societies who sometimes provide funding to influence the process, could take on the characteristics of a star chamber, full of sotto voce drama and backroom deals.  Plus ça change. 

The inbred internal United Nations mindset, meanwhile, views the mere providing an open list of candidates as an historic moment.

Political correctness and realignment... "it's Eastern Europe's turn."

Albania sits less than 100km across the Adriatic Sea from the boot of Italy, which is part of  "southern Europe."   It marks the start of the Balkan Corridor that runs north through Montenegro, and Croatia toward Trieste in "northern Italy.".

Concerned with the role that the Balkan Corridor is playing in the refugee crisis that is disrupting the political and economic stability of  "western Europe" The Economist, among others, is opinionating that the next UN secretary general should come from "Eastern Europe," namely, a Balkan Corridor nation.  

Considering its close proximity to Italy ("southern Europe") the Balkan Corridor seems more in alignment with that region, than a "Eastern Europe" which features nations like Lithuania, Slovakia, and Poland. 

The "realignment" suggestion is not unlike the UN suggestiont to expand the Horn of Africa to include around 1000 miles of coastline from southern Kenya to northern Sudan and include nations of  the African Lake District. This project has added value to the "Horn of Africa" brand, created prospects for more diplomatic and NGO and civil society jobs, and of course the defense spending that helps secure the "Horn."  

Not just a woman candidate, a woman candidate from "Eastern Europe"

As you can see from this article there is a lot of social conversation and western media focused on choosing a woman secretary general, more specifically, one hailing from the Balkan Corridor.

But the options that are on the bubble of being considered are certain  to elicit strong differences of opinion among Security Council members who are tasked with producing one viable candidate.

Verena Pusic, the foreign minister of Croatia, is one woman who has officially announced her candidacy.

 Does the UN "play favorites"

Frustrated by the lack of progress in the four decade old "Western  Sahara" crisis, Morocco recently accused the UN, specifically secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, of  "abandoning neutrality"  or in plain terms, "playing favorites" in mediating the struggle. 

The UN thundered back by rejecting Morocco's charges. Now in the "lame duck" phase of his final term as UN secretary general, will Ban Ki-Moon's  "transparency" subtly circumvent  "neutrality" and influence the outcome of the Security Council selection of a candidate.  The next seven months should provide an answer.

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