US envoy says next UN Secretary General should be chosen on merit, not rotation or gender

US envoy Paolo Zampolli has called for the next UN Secretary General to be chosen based on merit rather than traditional practices like regional rotation or gender considerations. These practices are seen as "political traditions" rather than legal rules under the UN Charter. Zampolli, who has spent 18 years at the United Nations, believes it's time to think bigger about the future of the institution.

The Security Council will select a successor to outgoing Secretary General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on December 31. While seven candidates are in the running, including Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentina's Rafael Grossi, Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the frontrunner. However, Grynspan's support has shown signs of weakening.

To win the role, a candidate must secure at least nine votes from the Security Council without facing a veto from any of the five permanent members - the US, Britain, France, Russia, and China. The selection process has been largely shaped by unwritten diplomatic conventions, including the expectation of regional rotation and the push for more women in the position.

Despite the absence of a formal rotation system and only one woman leading the UN in its 81-year history, these conventions have persisted through decades of diplomatic practice and non-binding General Assembly resolutions.