Four candidates vying to become the next United Nations secretary-general have undergone rigorous questioning from UN ambassadors in what the General Assembly president described as one of the toughest job interviews in the world. The sessions covered issues from restoring global peace to tackling escalating poverty, with no clear frontrunner emerging.
Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Argentina's Rafael Grossi, Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal's Macky Sall fielded questions this past week. All pledged to focus on the UN's three pillars: peace, development and human rights, and to spur reforms of the 80-year-old institution. They acknowledged that the UN has struggled to prevent conflicts in hotspots like Iran, Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan due to divisions.
Bachelet, a two-time Chilean president and former UN human rights chief, called for dialogue and said the next secretary-general must be physically present in crisis zones. Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned that doubts about the UN's effectiveness must be addressed through strong leadership. Grynspan, a former Costa Rican vice president, said the UN has become risk-averse and urged a willingness to take risks. Sall, Senegal's former president, promised to be a bridge-builder and restore trust.
The selection will be made by the 15-nation UN Security Council. By tradition, the post rotates by region, and this year it is Latin America's turn, though Sall argued the Charter does not bar candidates from other regions. Sall also faced protests both for and against his candidacy, and has denied corruption allegations.
