Irina Bokova of Bulgaria, the controversial director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), reportedly came in third in a straw poll a few weeks ago; she finished fifth in August 5 polling, according to The Independent.
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United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated the people of Zambia for the peaceful and orderly presidential, parliamentary and local elections, as well as the referendum on the Bill of Rights, held on 11 August.
Since the United Nations was formed in 1945, a woman has yet to hold a leading role.
Ban Ki-moon said he hoped the job would go to a woman when the new secretary-general was announced later this year.
There are now 11 candidates in the running to take the place of Ban – six men and five women.
But he said there were “many distinguished, motivated women leaders who can really change this world, who can actively engage with the other leaders of the world”. Among the female candidates are Bulgarian-born UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova, former Moldovan foreign minister Natalia Gherman and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark.
While Ban does not technically have any say in who will fill the role, he made it clear he was pulling for a female successor.
He is serving his second five-year term and is set to be replaced at the end of the year.
The former New Zealand prime minister has done poorly in two straw polls by the 15-member Security Council, which will recommend a candidate to the General Assembly. A group of 56 nations are campaigning for the first female UN chief.
Traditionally the post has been rotated by global region, with Eastern Europe arguing that it’s their turn to get someone in the hot seat.
However, in two informal straw polls held by the UN Security Council prior to Ban’s remarks, the highest-ranked woman reached third place. One candidate who came last in the first poll, Croatian foreign minister Vesna Pusic, has alreadt dropped out.
“One of those is Helen Clark and it would be great to see her as the next United Nations secretary-general”.
His successor should also have “strong compassionate and visionary leadership” and be able to articulate the importance of human dignity for vulnerable groups including women and girls, the disabled and “people in homosexual orientations and minority groups”, Ban said.
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In a statement, Ban reminded charged the country’s political leaders of the need to reject violence and to resolve differences or disputes constitutionally.
