The UN Needs a Leader. Member States Need to Let Them Lead.
The United Nations will soon have a new leader. In a moment of instability and crisis, the appointment of a new Secretary-General is considered by many to be an opportunity for progress and renewal. However, as Starling Institute Senior Advisor Suzanne Nossel argues in this White Paper, it will be the UN’s Member States that ultimately determine if the next Secretary-General can be the leader that the institution needs.
Member States hold the key to a better future for the UN. Nossel argues that, to unlock the Secretary-General as an agent for progress, Member States should:
Make UN Funds More Flexible. Falling voluntary contributions and an increasing trend of earmarking funds has restricted the ability of the Secretary-General to direct resources within the institution. A shift of even a portion of reduced and increasingly earmarked contributions toward core funding, pooled funds, or broad multi-year envelopes would give UN leaders greater capacity to respond when conflicts erupt, mediation openings appear, or neglected crises suddenly deteriorate.
Allow the Next Secretary-General to Assemble Their Own Team. A leader is only as successful as the team they assemble around them. Yet, a number of powerful Member States consider senior UN posts to national property or, otherwise, foreign policy tools for national interests. Trying to lead a team of officials who are individually loyal to specific governments can impair trust, cohesion and effectiveness. Governments should allow the Secretary-General to choose their own team and sever current ties with officials who enter into senior UN posts, helping ensure that the next Secretary-General enjoys the loyalty and objectivity they will need around them.
Give the Next Secretary-General Space on Management and Reform. Member States should stop micromanaging UN structure and reform. As the UN80 reform process has demonstrated, reform bogs down when governments seek efficiencies collectively while individual missions defend particular mandates, jobs, offices, and institutional footholds. The next Secretary-General’s scope for restructuring will depend on whether capitals are prepared to restrain that instinct and delegate meaningful authority over staffing, administrative structures, and implementation.
Support the Secretary-General in Action on Peace and Security. The next Secretary-General will need to dive into diplomacy, mediating explosive conflicts around the world. Middle powers could provide visible backing for a Secretary-General who is willing to take risks, joining on trips to hot spots, applauding their initiatives, and urging parties to allow the UN to play its part.
Photo Credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe