The 1 for 7 Billion campaign has written to all members of the UN Security Council calling for a transparent and timely selection process, as the Council begins discussing candidates for the role of UN Secretary-General later this month.

In the letter, sent on the eve of the second set of hearings of candidates with members of the General Assembly, 1 for 7 Billion urges the Security Council:

to start the process of selecting its candidate(s ) as soon as possible after tomorrow' s hearings and to publish a timetable for making its recommendation to the General Assembly for appointment
to announce a transparent process with regular public briefings on progress involving the President of the General Assembly
to invite candidates for in-depth discussions based on the selection criteria in resolution 69/321
to promptly announce the names of candidates going forward after holding straw polls and the names of those withdrawing from the process, and to publish shortlists of candidates
to make its recommendation to the General Assembly at an early date so that its members have sufficient time to consider the Council’s recommendation, to act upon it and for the Secretary-General select to prepare for the job
to ensure that all Council members fully participate at all stages of the process
and to commit to observe Article 100 of the UN Charter and undertake that no Council members will seek promises from candidates on senior appointments in exchange for support.

The letter also refers to a recent paper published by the 1 for 7 Billion campaign: No backroom deals, an end to monopoly - The Secretary- General's ability to make senior UN appointments on merit. The paper highlights how permanent members of the Council have established a monopoly on certain senior UN posts by putting pressure on candidates for selection or re-selection.

A copy of the press release has been reproduced below:

AS SECOND ROUND OF PUBLIC HEARINGS WITH CANDIDATES BEGINS, 1 FOR 7 BILLION URGES SECURITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT A TRANSPARENT AND TIMELY SELECTION PROCESS AND PUBLISHES PAPER CALLING FOR AN END TO BACKROOM DEALS

1 for 7 Billion Press Release, 6.6.2016

1 for 7 Billion has today called on the Security Council to adopt a transparent and inclusive selection process to recommend its candidate(s) for appointment by the General Assembly as UN Secretary-General and to make its recommendation at an early date.

‘Now that further public hearings with candidates are taking place, it is crucial that the Security Council creates the optimal conditions for selecting the high quality UN leader that the world needs. The Council should build on the unprecedented degree of transparency and inclusivity that has marked the nominations process in the General Assembly so far and evaluate candidates on the basis of the selection criteria agreed by all Member States’ said William Pace of the 1 for 7 Billion campaign.

In today’s letter to all members of the Council on the eve of the second set of hearings of candidates with members of the General Assembly, 1 for 7 Billion urges the Security Council:

to start the process of selecting its candidate(s ) as soon as possible after tomorrow' s hearings and to publish a timetable for making its recommendation to the General Assembly for appointment
to announce a transparent process with regular public briefings on progress involving the President of the General Assembly
to invite candidates for in-depth discussions based on the selection criteria in resolution 69/321
to promptly announce the names of candidates going forward after holding straw polls and the names of those withdrawing from the process, and to publish shortlists of candidates
to make its recommendation to the General Assembly at an early date so that its members have sufficient time to consider the Council’s recommendation, to act upon it and for the Secretary-General select to prepare for the job
to ensure that all Council members fully participate at all stages of the process
and to commit to observe Article 100 of the UN Charter and undertake that no Council members will seek promises from candidates on senior appointments in exchange for support.

Releasing its paper No backroom deals, an end to monopoly - The Secretary- General's ability to make senior UN appointments on merit, the campaign describes how permanent members of the Council have established a monopoly on certain senior UN posts by putting pressure on candidates for selection or re-selection.

‘This improper practice contravenes the Charter and prevents the Secretary-General from exercising independent judgment to select the best leadership team from among the strongest candidates regardless of nationality and from all regions. The UN needs the best women and men to fill these crucial posts if it is to carry out a complex mandate and tackle the huge challenges the world faces today' said Yvonne Terlingen of 1 for 7 Billion.

The campaign reiterates its call on candidates to declare that they have not made and will not make such promises, and calls on the next Secretary-General to establish a search committee to find the most highly qualified women and men from all regions for top senior UN posts.

1 for 7 Billion underlines the observations of former senior UN officials that Secretaries-General running for reelection have been susceptible to pressure by permanent members wanting to maintain a monopoly on certain senior posts in exchange for their support. The campaign urges all General Assembly members to appoint the Secretary-General for a single, non-renewable, longer term of office as it would strengthen the independence of the office and enhance the chances to make the high quality appointments – regardless of nationality or region - that the UN needs.