On 29 April, 1 for 8 Billion briefed diplomats from the ACT group - a cross-regional group of 27 small and mid-sized countries working to improve the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency of the UN Security Council. The meeting was kindly hosted by Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
The briefing was held as negotiations begin on the content of a new resolution, under the auspices of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the General Assembly (AHWG). The resolution will be the last formal opportunity to agree new rules before the commencement of the process to select the next Secretary-General (SG), expected later this year.
The presentation, delivered by 1 for 8 Billion’s Ben Donaldson, advocated for reforms to ensure a more open, inclusive process to select the next Secretary-General. The presentation made the point that this isn’t just the right thing to do; it can also positively impact the outcome of the race:
The more of the race that is in the public domain the more that civil society and journalists can assist with scrutiny of candidates and scrutiny of powerful states trying to compromise the independence of candidates.
Greater opportunity for public engagement is an advantage for serious, independently minded candidates as it enables them to build a broader support base beyond powerful UN member states - this can increase the political cost for Security Council states to block that candidate.
A strong public campaign can also support the next SG once they’re in office, allowing them to take a groundswell of support through to their official duties, boosting their mandate and helping unlock new ways of doing business working with a wider set of stakeholders.
Mr Donaldson highlighted 1 for 8 Billion’s recommendations to strengthen the upcoming selection process, including reforms to assert a larger role for the General Assembly, advocacy for a feminist woman SG, a more structured process and opportunities for greater civil society inclusion in the upcoming race.
The discussion centred on areas of mutual interest between 1 for 8 Billion and the ACT group - which laid out its negotiating position in a detailed non-paper released earlier this year. As in previous General Assembly negotiations, the ACT group has been at the forefront of the push to strengthen the SG selection process with a strong track record of building support for their proposals from the wider UN membership.
1 for 8 Billion would like to thank the ACT group for the opportunity to meet and discuss our vision to improve the upcoming SG selection process and looks forward to working with all states committed to a fair, open and inclusive SG selection process.
A detailed readout of 1 for 8 Billion’s reform proposals is available here.
Images: 1 for 8 Billion representative briefs the ACT Group. Photo credits: Switzerland’s Mission to the UN in New York