1 for 7 Billion has written to all member states calling for progress on outstanding reforms which are needed to strengthen future Secretary-General selection processes.

Today, the Forward initiative announced its own “candidate” to stand for the position of UN Secretary-General: Ecuadorian politician, Rosalía Arteaga Serrano. Forward is a civil society initiative that seeks to hold “progressive primaries to find a people-backed candidate to run for Secretary-General”.

The President of the General Assembly is inviting civil society organizations to submit questions, a selection of which will be put to Mr Guterres during his General Assembly hearing on 7 May. This meeting represents a rare opportunity to hold the UN Secretary-General to account - submit your question before 30 April!

There are various elements around the requirement for state backing and the recognition of official candidates that remain unsettled and for which 1 for 7 Billion urges further clarity. This short paper discusses these issues while also highlighting broader opportunities to build on the achievements of 2015/16.

On 5 February 2021 the President of the General Assembly with the President of the Security Council circulated a joint letter formally launching the process of appointing a Secretary-General for the term 2022-2027. Read 1 for 7 Billion’s analysis on this development.

On 11 January, the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Volkan Bozkir, wrote to UN Member States with an update on developments regarding the 2021 Secretary-General selection process.