UN Reverts To Secrecy For Vote On New Secretary-general
Faizan Hashmi Published July 20, 2016 | 11:11 AM
UNITED NATIONS, United States, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th july,2016) - After months of public campaigning, debates and open hearings, Security Council ambassadors huddle behind closed doors on Thursday to begin secret voting for a new secretary-general to lead the world body. The 15 council members including the powerful permanent five -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- will each rate the 12 candidates running for the top job with a ballot marked "encourage," "discourage" or "no opinion." The results of the first round of straw polls will not be announced, but they will be communicated to the governments that have put forward candidates to replace Ban Ki-moon in January. Among the top contenders are Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, Slovenia's ex-president Danilo Turk, New Zealand's ex-prime minister Helen Clark and Antonio Guterres, who served as Portugal's prime minister and headed the UN refugee agency. Six of the 12 candidates are women.
The bulk of the contenders -- eight -- are from eastern Europe. The secret vote follows a new, more open process that for the first time in the UN's history provided for hearings to allow candidates to present their pitch for the top job before the General Assembly. UN member states have complained for years that the secretary-general is chosen not for his or her ability to lead the world body but to serve the permanent five members. One of the most energetic campaigners in the race, Clark said the new transparency had allowed "a different type of candidate" to emerge, with less emphasis on diplomatic background. "This process has thrown up more personal leadership experience and presentation experience," Clark told AFP ahead of the vote. "The issue is: will the more transparent process, which has produced a different profile of candidate, lead to a different result? That's an open question."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
Shahzaib Rind calls on Deputy Speaker Balochistan
Ahsan chairs 13th CPEC-JCC preparatory meeting, reviews arrangements for high-le ..
DC Tharparkar inaugurates anti-polio campaign
HDA Mehran workers demand salaries
Taxila police nab motorcycle lifter gang
Inter-university weightlifting championship kicks off at SAU
Walk held in a series of enrollment campaigns
Team from Gaza mediator Egypt arrives in Israel for truce talks
Kids murders: IHC orders psychiatric examination of mother
Health minister credits PML-N for advancements in organ transplantation
Court grants interim bail to Azam Swati in cyber crime case
More Stories From World
-
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
58 minutes ago -
Team from Gaza mediator Egypt arrives in Israel for truce talks
1 hour ago -
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70
1 hour ago -
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
57 minutes ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
2 hours ago -
Romania court opens way for start of influencer Tate's trial
2 hours ago
-
Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70
2 hours ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
2 hours ago -
Russia targets Ukraine railways as Western aid due to arrive
3 hours ago -
Miner Anglo American rejects BHP's near $39-billion takeover bid
3 hours ago -
At least 10 people killed in Brazil fire: officials
3 hours ago -
Junta-led Burkina Faso suspends BBC, Voice of America for two weeks
3 hours ago