Grossi announced his intention to act independently if appointed UN Secretary General
Quick Look
- IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in an interview with RIA Novosti that if appointed UN Secretary General, he intends to act independently and be guided by the organization’s Charter, emphasizing that he adheres to the same principle as head of the IAEA.
- He noted that independence and one’s own position are the essence of the work of the head of any international organization.
- The UN Security Council holds a secret preliminary vote to select a candidate for the post of Secretary General, who is then recommended to the General Assembly.
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Why It Matters
The process for selecting the UN Secretary-General involves a secret ballot in the Security Council, where candidates are assessed against three options: 'support', 'do not support' or 'abstain'. The results are not published, but are transmitted confidentially to the states that nominated candidates. The General Assembly then formally appoints the Secretary General based on the recommendation of the Security Council.
Rafael Grossi stated that if appointed UN Secretary General, he intends to act independently and be guided by the Charter of the world organization.
Grossi adheres to a similar principle at the head of the IAEA, guided by the agency's charter and the tasks assigned to it.
UN, October 3 – RIA Novosti. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in an interview with RIA Novosti that if appointed UN Secretary General, he intends to act independently and be guided by the Charter of the world organization.
“Of course. I think this is exactly the essence of the work of the head of any international organization, as required by the UN Charter: to maintain independence, have your own position and remember your mission,” Grossi said, answering the question of whether he intends to maintain independence if confirmed to the post of UN Secretary General.
According to him, he now adheres to a similar principle at the head of the IAEA, guided by the agency’s charter and the tasks assigned to it.
Members of the UN Security Council conduct a preliminary vote to select a candidate for the post of Secretary General and recommend him to the UN General Assembly, which, according to the Charter of the international organization, officially appoints the Secretary General. Voting in the Security Council is secret.
The procedure is closed: in the ballots of Security Council members, three assessment options are provided for each candidate - “I support”, “I do not support” or “abstains”. Official results are not published, but scores are shared confidentially with the states that nominate candidates.
According to the results of the fourth indicative vote, ex-Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Greenspan received the most votes in support, a source told RIA Novosti.
The candidates to become the next UN Secretary-General are Carolyn Rodriguez-Birkett of Guyana, Rebekah Greenspan of Costa Rica, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Macky Sall of Senegal, Olara Otunnu of Uganda and Yvonne Baqui of Ecuador.
Open Questions
- Who exactly supported Rebeca Greenspan in the fourth indicative vote?
- Does Rafael Grossi have a real chance of winning considerando the current voting results?
- How might Grossi's position on independence affect his chances if supported by major powers?
- When is the final decision on the candidate for the post of UN Secretary General expected?
