Race for succession at the UN: candidates call for deep reform and a strengthening of human rights

Several candidates vying for the position of United Nations Secretary-General called for a strengthening of human rights, respect for international law, and a thorough reform of the organization during a debate held Tuesday in Geneva. Their remarks emphasized the need to restore trust in an institution facing significant financial and political pressures.

These statements come as the UN faces a significant budget crisis, fueled by reduced contributions from several major humanitarian donors. The organization also has to contend with approximately $4 billion in arrears owed by the United States, according to information presented during the discussions.

Four of the five candidates vying to succeed Antonio Guterres, whose five-year term expires at the end of the year, presented their vision for the organization's role. They emphasized the need for structural reforms to adapt the UN to an international context marked by a proliferation of conflicts and violations of international law.

Among the proposals put forward, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, called for more dynamic leadership. She spoke of the need to restore the UN's "moral authority" and proposed the creation of a rapid response center to respond more effectively to emerging crises.

Other candidates also emphasized the protection of fundamental rights and the strengthening of existing international mechanisms, in a context where geopolitical tensions often complicate the organization's diplomatic action.

The debate also highlighted the financial and institutional challenges facing the UN, with some participants arguing that without rapid and ambitious reforms, the organization's effectiveness could be further called into question in the years to come.