United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has once again publicly supported the appointment of a woman to lead the organisation. His term expires at the end of the year, triggering the formal succession process within the United Nations system.
Call for a woman Secretary General
Speaking on Thursday, Guterres reiterated that the United Nations should now be led by a woman. “I think it is clearly time for the United Nations to have a woman leader,” he said, adding that he had “no doubt” about this position. He noted that the post of Secretary General has never been held by a woman.
End of mandate and appointment procedure
Guterres, a Portuguese diplomat, has served as Secretary General since 2017. His second and final term concludes later this year. Under UN procedures, the Secretary General is appointed by the United Nations General Assembly, following a recommendation from the United Nations Security Council.
Position of the General Assembly presidency
The President of the General Assembly, former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock, has also expressed support for a woman succeeding Guterres. She has urged member states to submit nominations, particularly female candidacies, by early April.
Declared candidacy to date
To date, only one official candidacy has been made public. Argentina has nominated Rafael Grossi, the 64 year old Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which operates within the UN system.
Reference to Holguín first reported by Politis
As first reported in the Sunday edition of Politis, Maria Angela Holguin, the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy, is described as harbouring ambitions for a continuation of her political career. The Sunday Politis report noted speculation regarding her future trajectory, including references to domestic political developments in Colombia and to a possible international role. Holguín has previously served as Colombia’s foreign minister.
Regional rotation and Security Council role
It is further noted that, according to established informal rotation practices, the leadership of the United Nations is expected to pass to Latin America in the next term. Guterres has recently stated that this time the position should be filled by a woman, a remark that prompted commentary linking it to potential Latin American candidates.
The final decision, however, rests with the Security Council’s permanent and non permanent members. Guterres has also warned of the risk of financial collapse within the United Nations, highlighting the influence of major contributors, particularly the United States, in the overall selection process.