Guterres advises successor to be independent and follow consciousness

“ Ni don’t have any advice to give my successor, except to say: be yourself, be independent and act according to your conscience,” Guterres defended at a press conference in New York.

António Guterres will leave the post of UN Secretary-General at the end of December, after completing two consecutive five-year mandates in the leadership of the organization.

In total, and so far, there are eight candidates for the post: former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Foreign Minister of Ecuador María Espinosa Garcés, Guyana diplomat Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu and Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki.

Following a geographical tradition not always respected, Latin America disputes the position this time, which explains the fact that most candidates are from this continent.

Many countries also argue that a woman should take office for the first time in the 80 years of UN history.

The final decision of the 15 members of the UN Security Council (five permanent and ten non-permanent) may be finalized between August and October.

At the end of this year the UN General Assembly is expected to formalise the appointment, but the date has not yet been set.

Asked today about the main lesson that the former Portuguese Prime Minister has taken from the last 10 years ahead of the UN pointed to the need to reform multilateral institutions.

“ In an increasingly multipolar world, it is absolutely essential to reform multilateral institutions to be effective in promoting peace, development and human rights, which are the three pillars of the UN,” he said.

The person who succeeds Guterres will face a complex global context, marked by geopolitical tensions and growing conflicts, pressure on the financing of development and the organization itself, rapid technological changes and global warming, factors that continue to test the international system.