The US has voiced its support for a woman to lead the United Nations, saying “there is no reason” why a female cannot be elected as the next Secretary General of the world organisation.
“Could be a woman, absolutely. There is no reason why not,” US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative of the United States to the Sessions of the General Assembly Ambassador Dan Negrea said Wednesday.
Replying to a question from PTI on Wednesday, US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and Alternate Representative of the United States to the General Assembly sessions, Ambassador Dan Negrea, said,
"It could be a woman, absolutely. There is no reason it could not."Dan Negrea, US Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council
He made the remark during a press briefing organised by the New York Foreign Press Centre on the outcomes of the High-Level Forum on the US Trade Over Aid Initiative.
The briefing took place a day after the US Mission to the UN convened a Trade Over Aid Forum on the sidelines of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum.
Speaking about the selection process for the next chief diplomat of the global body, Negrea said, "The United States is deeply engaged in assessing the candidates, and we regard this as an extremely important issue."
He noted that the US has held meetings with contenders for the top post at the 193-member organisation. "...it is a critical, critical issue for the effectiveness of a very important international organisation.
We are devoting a great deal of time to this at the U.S. Mission to the U.N. and at the State Department in Washington. Yes, very much so," he said.
Candidates in the Fray
Michelle Bachelet
Former Chilean President and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)
Rebeca Grynspan
Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) & Former Vice President of Costa Rica
Mara Fernanda Espinosa Garcs
Mara Fernanda Espinosa Garcs, former President of the UN General Assembly and Ecuador's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Natural Heritage
Virginia Gamba
Former Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Prevention of Genocide and Hate Speech and former UN Under Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict;
Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett
Guyana's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador;
General Rafael Grossi
International Atomic Energy Agency Director ;
Macky Sall
Former Senegal President.
Incumbent UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who previously served as Portugal’s Prime Minister and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is set to conclude his second five-year term in December 2026.
He assumed the role in 2017 as the ninth Secretary-General. In the organisation’s 80-year history, the position has never been held by a woman.
The Secretary-General is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly based on a recommendation from the Security Council, where China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States serve as permanent members with veto authority.