Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-06-06.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that the Eastern Europe region remains the only region in the UN system yet to produce a Secretary-General, and the fact that seven of the declared candidates for the position are from Eastern Europe, whether, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/286 of 9 October 2006 on Revitalisation of the work of the General Assembly, they are fully committed to giving due regard to regional rotation” in the selection of the UN Secretary-General.”
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have actively campaigned to reform the selection process for a UN Secretary-General. We want greater transparency, a structured process and a gender diverse field. These efforts are designed to ensure we get the best person for the job. We do not subscribe to the notion of regional rotation, but are looking for a candidate with integrity, a proven track record, first class communication skills, suitable and relevant experience and unimpeachable character. They should be committed to transparency and accountability, have strong leadership skills, a bold vision for an activist UN at the heart of the rules-based system, and be committed to cost-effective management and reform.
