Rebecca Greenspan. Photo: Collected
Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebecca Greenspan is narrowly ahead in the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general, winning the most votes in a fourth round of informal voting by the UN Security Council, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the process.
A secret ballot was held in the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday (September 29). Greenspan received 10 ‘in favor’, three ‘against’ and two ‘no opinion’ votes.
Guyana’s UN Ambassador Caroline Rodriguez-Birket received eight ‘in favor’, six ‘against’ and one ‘no opinion’ vote. On the other hand, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi received eight ‘in favor’ and seven ‘against’ votes.
Greenspan was ahead by a small margin in the first and third rounds of voting in July and September, but Rodriguez-Birkett was ahead in the second round of voting in August.
Seven candidates are now in the running to become the next UN secretary-general after former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet withdrew her candidacy this month. Incumbent Antonio Guterres’ two-term term ends at the end of this year.
Reuters reported that the new Secretary-General will have to deal with challenges such as multiple wars, reduced US funding to the UN and the UN’s declining influence in global politics.
Ultimately, however, the five permanent members of the Security Council – the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom – will play a key role in selecting the candidate. After receiving their approval, the Security Council will recommend a candidate to the 193-member UN General Assembly. The General Assembly has long been expected to approve that candidate.
No woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General in the UN’s more than 80-year history. The Security Council’s informal vote on candidates could continue for several more rounds. In these votes, members are asked to express their positions on the candidates in secret ballots: “support”, “opposition” or “no opinion”.
Source: Reuters