A summary of the key themes of this week's hearings with candidates in the General Assembly, with an emphasis on the qualities and skills required of the Secretary-General, as well as 1 for 7 Billion's campaign proposals.
Majority of states support discussion of single term, multiple candidates proposals
1 for 7 Billion has launched two new documents showing where every UN Member State stands on two urgent proposals for reform: the appointment of the Secretary-General for a single, non-renewable term of between five and ten years, and the recommendation of multiple candidates by the Security Council to the General Assembly.
1 for 7 Billion urges action at upcoming UN debate
This week, the 1 for 7 Billion campaign sent a letter to all UN Member States urging them to consider specific reforms to further improve the selection process before the next Secretary-General is appointed at the end of the year. The letter comes ahead of a thematic debate on the selection and appointment of the UN Secretary-General, to take place at the UN’s New York headquarters on 22 March
1 for 7 Billion makes the case for the Secretary-General to stand for a single term
The 1 for 7 Billion campaign has published a statement setting out the arguments for the UN Secretary-General to stand for a single, non-renewable term of office. The paper has been released ahead of a General Assembly debate on this proposal on 29 February.
Member States Call for UNSG Selection Reform at 70th UN General Assembly
From 28 September to 3 October, the 70th session of the UN General Assembly held its general debate at UN headquarters in New York. In line with the theme of the debate—“The United Nations at 70: a New Commitment to Action”—states from all regions took the opportunity to express their support for critical and timely changes to the appointment process for the Secretary-General.