This year marks the last year in office for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, which means that the race is on to selected a new SG to lead the organization for the next five years. ?The post of Secretary-General has been described as the most impossible job in the world, while the official UN says the job is Equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and CEO. ?
In the past the selection of the Secretary-General has been done via a process shrouded in mystery and not accessible to the average citizen.? But this year the process is moving into the 21st century with candidates participating in town halls and taking questions submitted via social media from people all over the world.? ?
In December 2015, the President of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft and the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States, invited Member States to nominate candidates for the next SG, placing an emphasis on gender equality by encouraging States to put forth women candidates. ?In its 70 year history the organization has had eight Secretaries-General, all men, and many people feel that the time has come for a woman to lead the organization. ?
Between 30 December 2015 and 12 April 2016, 9 candidates have been put forward by their respective governments. ??Thus far the candidates include: Irina Bokova of Bulgaria; Helen Clark of New Zealand; Natalia Gherman of the Republic of Moldova; Ant¨®nio Guterres of Portugal; Vuk Jeremi? of the Republic of Serbia; Srgjan Kerim of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Igor Luk?i? of Montenegro; Vesna Pusi?? of the Republic of Croatia; and Danilo T¨¹rk of Slovenia. ?
In an attempt to make the selection process more transparent and inclusive, for the first time in seven decades candidates were invited to hold informal dialogues in which they answered questions from Member State representatives, members of civil society and the general public.? ?The talks took place over the course of two days, 12 to 14 April 2016, at UN headquarters in New York. ??
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The questions raised covered a range of issues from the Sustainable Development Goals to human rights, gender equality and climate change.? ?
While Member States will have the final word on who gets to lead the UN for the next five years, the informal dialogues were a departure from business as usual and offered people the opportunity to participate in the process and challenged candidates to speak to a broader constituency than had been the case in the past.
To learn more about the selection process of the UN Secretary-General, please visit: . ?If you missed the candidates' informal dialogues you can watch them all on the UN webcast at .