US faults UN Secretary-General selection process

​The United States has faulted polling and surveys in the selection process for the next United Nations ​Secretary-General, warning against ​usurping the Security Council​’s power.

Washington said even though the Council plays a key role in recommending who becomes the UN chief, recent events suggest the Council’s working methods are not being respected.

At this week’s Council briefing, Ambassador Jennifer Locetta accused President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock of “irresponsible actions”, which could “undermine” the process.

Locetta, Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, said the PGA sent two letters to the Council, insinuating that it acted improperly—invoking “transparency,” “fairness,” and “inclusion.”

​The diplomat maintained that the Council has long respected the selection process, as ​spelled out in Resolution 79/327 on the revitalization work of the General Assembly.

​”The PGA, in contrast, has not​,” she declared in her remarks. “The President’s actions expose hypocrisy and reflect poorly on the General Assembly’s work writ large.​”

​Locetta recalled that on July 23, the PGA convened a town hall with candidates and used it to conduct an audience survey, “a surprise” to the candidates and to the observers.

The ambassador called the polling ​”unfair, untransparent, and unprecedented​”, saying most people who voted have no official role in the selection process of the Secretary-General​.

She said ​Resolution 79/327 does not permit polls or surveys, accusing Baerbock of continuing “a trend of UN leadership fancying themselves as diplomatic superstars rather than Chief Administrative Officers.”

​​Locetta further pointed to Baerbock’s second letter, which asked the Security Council not to consider candidates that did not participate in a General Assembly dialogue.

​”The joint letter on nominations is unambiguous​,” the envoy protested, hinting that the Council may consider candidates who never participate in a General Assembly dialogue.

​On Friday, Christina Markus Lassen, Denmark’s UN ambassador, announced the Council held its second straw poll on the candidates seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres, whose tenure ends on December 31.

The straw polls are informal closed-door ballots conducted to evaluate support for the candidates, allowing the Council to select one to recommend to the General Assembly.

​The eight candidates​ are: ​Carolyn Birkett, Guyana’s representative to the ​UN;​ ​Ivonne Baki, Ecuador’s former ​industries minister; Michelle Bachelet, former Chilean president; Maria Espinosa, ​Ecuador​’s former foreign minister.

​Others include Rafael Grossi of Argentina, ​DG, International Atomic Energy Agency; Rebeca Grynspan, Costa Rica ex-​vice president; Olara Otunnu of Uganda, ​ex-UN under-secretary-general; and Macky Sall, ​Senegalese ex-president.