As the results from the Security Council’s fifth round of 'straw polls' spill out on social media, the latest issue of New World magazine provides expert commentary on what to expect in the final stages of the race for the next UN leader.
For 70 years, the UN Secretary-General has been chosen in secret, with the five permanent members of the Security Council nominating a single candidate for the General Assembly to rubberstamp. Now, following two years of advocacy by UNA-UK's 1 for 7 Billion campaign, the selection process is more open and inclusive than ever before.
"This issue of New World magazine is the one-stop-shop for all those interested in the Secretary-General race. It provides background information on the process, as well as commentary, analysis and gossip from UN experts in the online version, which will be constantly updated until the white smoke emerges from the Security Council."
– Natalie Samarasinghe, Executive Director, UNA-UK
From how the “straw polls” work to how Secretary-General candidates have adapted to a new digital audience, this issue looks beyond the reformed selection process, which has captured the world’s attention.
It examines how the next UN chief should approach a plethora of global challenges – from Mark Malloch‑Brown’s manifesto for his or her “first 100 days”, to a tongue‑in‑cheek list of UN home truths. You can also get to grips with the facts and figures about the process, and read up on the groundbreaking changes that UNA-UK's 1 for 7 Billion campaign has achieved.
In our “online exclusives”, we feature UN ‘to‑do lists’ from policy experts ranging from Plan International to Universal Rights Group, who have set out their priorities on issues ranging from human rights to nuclear disarmament – a precursor to the 1 for 7 Billion campaign’s ‘people’s agenda’ for the UN, which will be presented to the next Secretary‑General when she or he takes office.
