Russian Foreign Ministry does not yet see a suitable candidate for the post of UN Secretary General

Among the available candidates for the post of UN Secretary General there is no person who “definitely would suit Russia,” said the head of the Department of international organizations of the Russian foreign Ministry Kirill Logvinov. According to him, Moscow is ready to support the representative of the bloc of developing countries.

Mr. Logvinov explained that all the candidates for the Russian side are well known, and they “have both strengths and weaknesses.” “In general, we do not exclude that by the end of the year there will be new people willing to participate in this race,” the diplomat said in an interview with Interfax.

The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that Moscow adheres to the unspoken rotation rule, according to which the next UN Secretary General should be a representative of a group of Latin American and Caribbean countries. But if no one from this region can get enough support in the Security Council, then “the opportunity to try their luck will be given to people from other parts of the world,” he said.

According to Kirill Logvinov, the applicant should be acceptable to all five main members of the UN Security Council and the majority of its non-permanent members. The next head of the UN “will have to take responsibility for ensuring a stable multilateral system of international relations, built on the fair consideration of the interests of all its participants,” which will require reforming the UN secretariat, the diplomat said.

The mandate of the current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expires on December 31, 2026. He has held the position since 2017. Seven people are applying for his post: IAEA head Rafael Grossi (from Argentina), Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development Rebecca Greenspan (Costa Rica), former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, former President of Senegal Maki Sal, former Foreign Minister and Ministry of Defense of Ecuador Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN Carolyn Rodriguez-Birquette, former Ambassador of Uganda Olara Otunnu.

Details – in the material “Kommersant” “The UN is figuring out about its head”.

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