Election of Secretary-General of United Nations (UN)

News: The election of the next United Nations Secretary-General is underway, and on April 21–22, four candidates pitched before the UN General Assembly in informal, interactive dialogues.

About Election of Secretary-General of United Nations (UN)

• Appointed by: The Secretary-General of United Nations (UN) is appointed by the General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Security Council (UNSC).
  • In practice, the Security Council first agrees on a candidate, requiring at least nine votes and no veto from its five permanent members.
  • The General Assembly then formally appoints the candidate by a majority of Member States.
• Process of selection:
  • Candidates for the United Nations Secretary-General must be formally proposed by one or more Member States.
  • Each candidate presents a vision statement outlining their priorities for the role.
  • Candidates participate in interactive dialogues, which are public sessions with Member States and civil society.
  • The Security Council recommends a candidate after securing at least nine votes and no veto from any permanent member.
  • The General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General with majority support from its 193 Member States.
• Term: The Secretary-General is appointed for a term of five years and may be reappointed for a second term.
  • In practice, most Secretaries-General have served a maximum of two terms.
• Rotation: The position also rotates among different world regions: Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America & the Caribbean.
  • Currently, it is the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean, where different countries may support different candidates based on regional interests.
• Role: The United Nations Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer who manages the UN Secretariat and carries out tasks given by major UN bodies like the General Assembly, Security Council, and Economic and Social Council.
  • The Secretary-General can also bring important global issues, especially those affecting peace and security, to the attention of the Security Council.
  • They can appoint special representatives, called Personal Envoys, to handle specific conflicts or issues.
  • The Secretary-General is often called the world’s “chief diplomat.”
• Main candidates vying to become the United Nations Secretary-General 2026: Michelle Bachelet, Macky Sall, Rafael Grossi and Rebecca Grynspan
  • The new Secretary-General will take office on January 1, 2027.

About United Nations (UN) Formation: The United Nations is an international organisation founded in 1945. There were 51 founding member states of the United Nations in 1945. India was one of the original founding members. Membership: It is currently made up of 193 Member States. All UN Member States are members of the General Assembly. States are admitted to membership by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Structure: The main bodies of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. UN Secretariat: The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organisation’s other main bodies. It is dedicated to promoting peace, human rights, and social progress, enhancing the quality of life and raising living standards for individuals worldwide.