ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to identify the proper role of a Secretary-General as a top international public servant. Based on this research, we can conclude that there are four major roles of a Secretary General of the United Nations that are in terms of administrative, peacekeeping, mediation and also human resource. Hence, these four major roles definitely sum up the job of a Secretary General of the United Nations. Other than that, this research also involves discovering the required qualities and discipline of a Secretary-General in view of the practices and achievements of the successive Secretary-Generals. Based on this research, the qualities and discipline needed are a strong manager, a charismatic leader, a visionary person, someone who enjoys the respect of the developing world, someone who is a risk-taker, someone who likes the media but not too much of it, a patient kind of person and also someone with moral authority. It is undoubtedly that these are a good combination for an ideal Secretary-General of the United Nations.
CONTENTS
32ND EISAKU SATO ESSAY COMPETITION 1
Abstract 2
Content 3
1.0 Introduction 4
2.0 The United Nations’ Secretary-Generals 6
3.0 The Proper Roles of a Secretary-General 12
3.1 Administrative
3.2 Human Resource
3.3 Peacekeeping
3.4 Mediation
4.0 Challenges Faced by United Nations 14
4.1 The Outdated Structure
4.2 The Unwieldy Organization
4.3 Increasing Demands
4.4 Money Shortage
4.5 Manoeuvring for Top Jobs
5.0 Qualities & Discipline of a Secretary-General of United Nations 16
5.1 A Strong Reliable Leader
5.2 A Charismatic Person
5.3 A Visionary of Sorts Person
5.4 A Leader Who Enjoys the Respect of The Developing World
5.5 Someone Who is a Risk Taker
5.6 A Person Who Likes Media Attention, But Not Too Much
5.7 Someone Who is Patience
5.8 A Person With Moral Authority
6.0 Conclusion 19
7.0 References 20
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The name United Nations was formulated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941 and the United Nations was established in 1945, right after the devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission, which is the conservation of international peace and security. In order to achieve the mission, The UN is working their best to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and grow from time to time. These activities are often overlap and should reinforce one another, in order to be effective. The United Nations is a replacement of the League of Nations. During the early days in 1945 when the United Nations was founded, there were only 51 members joining it and now 193 nations are now members of the organization. The UN Security Council has the supreme responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play vital, important, and corresponding roles, along with other UN offices and bodies. The United Nations headquarters was decided to be located in the United States. The General Assembly of the United Nations accepted a gift from John D. Rockefeller Jr. worth $8.5 million in December 1946. The money received was used to buy a tract of land along the East River, New York City as the location for the headquarters. The principal building, the Secretariat, the General Assembly and also the Conference Building were completed in 1952. From the very start of the establishment of the United Nations, one of the foremost priorities of the United Nations was to “achieve international co-operation in unravelling international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging recognition for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.” Other than that, improving people’s welfare continues to be one of the United Nations’ main focuses. Over these years, the global understanding of development has changed. Countries have come into agreement that sustainable development – development that assist opportunity in terms of prosperity and economic, greater social well-being and also protection of the environment – propose the best path forward for improving the lives of people from all around the world. Furthermore, the promotion and protection of human rights is also a key purpose and guiding fundamental of the United Nations. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human rights into the monarchy of international law in 1948. Since then, the United Nations has attentively protected human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground activities. Next, the United Nations Charter set an objective, which is “to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations emerge from agreements and other sources of international law can be maintained”. Since then, the progress of, and respect for international law has been a key part of the work of the United Nations. This work is accomplished in several ways. For instance, by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties and by the Security Council, which approves peacekeeping missions, impose penalization, or legitimate the use of force when there is a threat to international peace and security, if it is necessary. These powers are given by the United Nations Charter, which is appraised as an international treaty. It is also an instrument of international law, and the members of United Nations are confined by it. The United Nations Charter tabulates the vital principles of international relations, from sovereign equality of States to the debarment of the use of power in international relations. Finally, as stated in its Charter, one of the objectives of the United Nations is to “accomplish international co-operation in solving problems of an economic, social, cultural or public-spirited character”. The United Nations helped to rebuild the wrecked continent of Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War. The United Nations is now being depended upon by the international community to synchronize humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made catastrophes in areas beyond the relief extent of national authorities alone.
2.0 THE UNITED NATIONS’ SECRETARY GENERALS
The United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) is the chief of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the main organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also behaves as the leader and the de facto spokesperson of the United Nations.
2.1 Trygve Lie
The first Secretary-General of the United Nations is Trygve Lie. He started his service as the Secretary-General on 2nd February 1946 and ended his service on 10th November 1952. Trygve Lie was from Norway. He was a foreign minister and late labour leader. Lie was suggested by the Soviet Union to fill the post. Right after the involvement of United Nations in the Korean War, the Soviet Union vetoed Lie’s re-election in 1951. The United States evaded the Soviet Union’s veto and suggested re-election directly to the General Assembly. Lie was re-elected by a vote of 46 to 5, with eight abstentions. The Soviet Union endured malicious to Lie, resulting to his resignation in 1952.
2.2 Dag Hammarskjold
Next, the second Secretary-General of the United Nations was Dag Hammarskjold. He started his service on 10th of April 1953 and ended his service on 18th September 1961. Dag Hammarskjold was from Sweden. He died in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia which is now known as Zambia, while on a peacekeeping mission to the Congo. After a sequence of candidates was vetoed, Hammarskjold appeared as an alternative that was well qualified to the Security Council. Hammarskjold was re-elected congruently to a s
econd term in 1957. The Soviet Union was displeased by Hammarskjold’s management of the United Nations during the Congo Crisis, and recommended that the position as the Secretary-General be substituted by a troika or three-man executive. Dealing with significant objection from the Western nations, the Soviet Union surrendered on its proposal. Hammarskjold was killed in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia in 1961. The United States President, John F. Kennedy described Hammarskjold as “the greatest statesman of our century”.
2.3 U Thant
The third Secretary General is U Thant, from Burma. He started his service on 30th November until 31st December 1971. During the procedure of replacing Hammarskjold, the evolving world demanded on a non-European and non-American Secretary-General for the United Nations. U Thant was chosen. Nevertheless, regarding to objection from the French and Arabs, since Thant had preside over a committee on Algerian independence and Burma corroborated Israel, Thant was only assigned for the remnant of Hammarskjold’s term. He was the first Asian Secretary-General. The subsequent year, on 30th November, he was concertedly re-selected to a new term which ended on 3rd November 1966. Furthermore, Thant was re-selected on 2nd December 1966, eventually for a full 5-year term, which ended on 31st December 1971. He did not be in pursuit of a third election afterwards.
2.4 Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Waldheim, from Austria was the fourth Secretary-General of the United Nations. He started his service as the Secretary-General on 1st January 1972 until 31st December 1981. Waldheim introduced a prudent but fruitful campaign to become the next Secretary-General after U Thant. Regardless of preliminary vetoes from China and also the United Kingdom, Waldheim was nominated in the third round as the new Secretary-General. In 1976, China at first obstructed Waldheim’s re-selection. However, China gave in on the second vote. In 1981, his re-selection for a third term was obstructed by China, which vetoed his election through 15 rounds. During mid-1980s, it was disclosed that a post-World War II United Nations War Crimes Commission had classified Waldheim as a suspected war offender, based on his association with the army of Nazi Germany.
2.5 Javier Perez de Cue’llar
Perez de Cue’llar was the fifth Secretary-General of the United Nations. He started his service on 1st January 1982 until 31st December 1991. He was from Peru. Perez de Cue’llar was elected after a deadlock that lasted for five weeks between the re-selection of Waldheim and China’s contender, Salim Ahmed Salim of Tanzania. Perez, a Peruvian diplomat was an understanding candidate. He became the first Secretary-General, representing Americas. Perez was re-selected again without opposition in 1986.
2.6 Boutros Boutros-Ghali
The sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations was Boutros Boutros Boutros-Ghali. He started his service on 1st January 1992 and ended his service on 31st December 1996. He was from Egypt. The 102-member of Non-Aligned Movement demanded an African candidate as the next Secretary-General. With predominance in the General Assembly and the favour of China, the Non-Aligned Movement had the votes required to obstruct any disapproving candidate. The Security Council organized five nameless straw polls, first for the council. On the fifth round, Boutros-Ghali appeared with 11 votes. In 1996, the United States vetoed the re-nomination of Boutros-Ghali, declaring that he had failed in executing required change to the United Nations.
2.7 Kofi Annan
The seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations is Kofi Annan. His service started on 1st January 1997 and ended on 31st December 2006. He was from Ghana. On 13th December 1996, he was suggested by the Security Council. Kofi Annan’s election as the next Secretary-General was confirmed four days after he was being recommended by the vote of the General Assembly. His second term as a Secretary-General started on 1st January 2002. He retired after being in service for two full terms.
2.8 Ban Ki-Moon
The current Secretary-General of the United Nations is Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea. He started his service on January 2007 and his term expired on 31st December 2011. He is the first East Asian to be elected as the Secretary-General. Ban Ki-Moon was re-elected, unchallenged, to a second term on 21st June 2011. The next successor will be elected by the General Assembly in 2016.
3.0 THE PROPER ROLES OF A SECRETARY-GENERAL
3.1 Administrative
The secretary general supervised the United Nations Secretariat, which manages the operations of the United Nations, including research, media relations and also translation. The Secretariat, the United Nations’ executive office has a staff almost 9,000 people from about 170 different countries. Every secretary general has managed his administrative responsibilities in their own ways and differently. Hammerskjöld, the second secretary general of the United Nations, started a system of offices in charge of political, legal, budgetary and also personnel aspects of the secretariat. While Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the sixth Secretary General of the United Nations streamlined the system by including under-secretaries-general to supervise operations and report back. During Annan’s administration as the seventh Secretary General of the United Nations, the deputy secretary-general position was established to handle day-to-day operations.
3.2 Human Resources
The hiring of under-secretaries for almost fifty United Nations posts, inclusive of the heads of funds, for example, United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and also United Nations Development Program (UNDP), falls under the perspective of the secretary-general. A vital aspect for the hiring process includes lobbying from members to fill up the posts with their nationals, emphasizing the secretary-general’s job of sorting things out with the Security Council and General Assembly to make sure extensive regional representation.
3.3 Peacekeeping
The secretary-general’s office undertake responsibility for supervising peacekeeping missions and engages the under-secretary who was in control of that particular department, including some sixteen operations internationally. Despite the fact that the General Assembly or Security Council might take action on a peacekeeping mission, operational control is placed under the Secretariat.
3.4 Mediation
This aspect includes the secretary-general’s job as a mediator for parties who are in a conflict. As a part of the secretary-general’s “good offices” role, he needs to make use of his self-government and impartiality as the chief of an international and worldwide organization to hinder and stop the outspread of conflict. For instance, Hammarskjöld is a great example of United Nations’ leader who took mediation roles during his governance time. He promoted an armistice between the Israel and Arab states. Other than that, Javier Perez de Cuellar’s also did a negotiation of a ceasefire to end the war between Iraq and Iran.
4.0 CHALLENGES FACED BY UNITED NATIONS.
Like any other organizations, the United Nations is also facing challenges throughout since the very first day of the establishment of the organization back in 1945. As its 70th anniversary is approaching, here are the top five major challenges facing by the United Nations.
4.1 The Outdated Structure
The victors of World War II which were the United State, Russia, China, France and Britain have been the power players since the 1945. These five countries are the only permanent members of the incredibly strong and powerful, 15-seat Security Council. Each respective country has veto power, which has led to near-powerlessness at the council on some crucial crises like Ukraine and Syria. Some of the critics also said that the council simply does not repre
sent the world we are living today. Many of the 193 members of the United Nations are clamoring for more clout. The countries are all represented in the General Assembly but that body is only able to pass nonbinding resolutions. Germany, Japan, South Africa, Nigeria and India are often mentioned as countries which deserve the permanent Security Council seats. Unfortunately, there are no signs that the big five have any intentions to give up any powers or even share them with more countries.
4.2 The Unwieldy Organization
The United Nations has become a sprawling system with 15 self-governing agencies, 11 semi- self-governing funds and programs, and many other bodies. There is no central entity to supervise them. The current secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, can try to synchronize their actions but unfortunately, he has no control and power over most of them. The unwieldy structure was recently be held responsible for the World Health Organization’s hinder in detecting the Ebola epidemic.
4.3 Increasing Demands
Furthermore, the United Nations is also facing increasing demands as one of the challenges. The United Nations is almost continuously asking its member states to provide troops for its distant and remote peacekeeping missions. The number of peacekeepers has escalated to a record of 130,000 people, compared to 11,000 people at the end of the Cold War. Unfortunately, more than 100 peacekeepers have died in this particular year and dozens of them have been taken as prisoners. The world’s fugitive population has rose surrounded by a growing list of humanitarian crises. The United Nation refugee agency is currently trying to assist over 51 millions of people who are forced from their homes and dislocated inside or outside their country, which recorded the highest figure since the United Nations started gathering data in the early 1950s. The United Nations humanitarian office is trying to sort out a record of four top-level emergencies, in the Africa and also the Mideast, as well as Ebola.
4.4 Money Shortage
Other than that, raising money is also a relentless problem with so many crises competing for the world’s attention. Many United Nations agencies and humanitarian operations are being financed by voluntary donations, and it turned out that appeals are getting insufficient donations. The World Food Program suspended a food voucher program supplying more than 1.7 millions of Syrian refugees after many donors failed to fulfill their obligations. All of the 193 state members donate to the United Nations’ regular budget and also a separate peacekeeping budget, but some of the countries are seriously way behind on their installments. In the early November, some of the members owed almost $3.5 billion for regular peacekeeping, including operations.
4.5 Maneuvering for Top Jobs
Lastly, there is a global behind-the-scene maneuvering for top jobs in the United Nations Secretariat and also United Nations agencies. Not to mention, seats on key bodies such as the Human Rights Council and the Security Council. Each country belongs to a geographical group that pressurizes to make sure it is well represented. There is frequent condemnation that those who landed the seats are not the best eligible for it, such as dictatorships selected to the rights council.
5.0 QUALITIES & DISCIPLINE OF A SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNITED NATIONS
5.1 A Strong Reliable Leader
The next secretary general of the United Nations should be more of a politician rather than a manager. It is because the key subordinate runs things day to day. However, management expertise is always vital for a top job; regardless how much work is being delegated. The United Nations risk non-employment if its spreading bureaucracy and administration worsen into even more serious scandal. The secretary-general has to surround himself with the right group of people, and his chief subordinate has to believe that the boss is supervising and watching him, that he knows ineffectiveness, slackness and also fraudulent when he sees it, and also he is likely unable to tolerate with it for even a second.
5.2 A Charismatic Person
The administration may also well prefer a secretary-general, who is not leader in his own right, with assumption that particular person is not difficult to be controlled. However, the divisions in both the United Nations’ General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council said that only a person with charisma, influential powers and also assertiveness will be able to make progress and get ahead. The organization’s propensity toward lowest-common-denominator uncertainty and passivity have made it so inefficient on Darfur and also, to date, Iran. If the Secretary General does not have the right personality to help cut through it, then it is undoubtedly that no one else can.
5.3 A Visionary of Sorts Person
While a highly proficient public servant can successfully lead an organization like the World Food Programme or United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that have a clearly defined mission, leading the United Nations includes planning a worldwide agenda. The secretary-general have to eloquent his own views and takes on how to accentuate among the United Nations’ staggering exposition of programs, speaking from beliefs and opinions when he justifies for something. At least eloquently, Kofi Annan did a great a job on this matter, conveying leadership in promoting a Responsibility to Protect and the promotion of democracy.
5.4 A Leader Who Enjoys the Respect of the Developing World
The United Nations is influenced by delegations from the expanding world who are permanently sceptical that the well-off countries who sponsor the United Nations and governing the Security Council will defraud their priorities. They will make life despairing for a secretary-general who they do not trust, and they are also able and will incapacitate the United Nations in the process. This initiates a high bar for candidates from Japan or Korea who are not seen as the expanding world.
5.5 Someone Who Is A Risk Taker
A risk reluctant secretary-general will do nothing more than ratify the United Nations’ natural savour for passivity. The United Nations need a person who is prepared and ready to push on big governments, a person who cannot take no an answer, a person who is willing to suggest things and ways to break through deadlocks, and also a person who does not suffer from a compelling need to be liked and accepted by others.
5.6 A Person Who Likes Media Attention, But Not Too Much
One of the next secretary-general of the United Nations’ tasks is reconstructing the organization’s global stature. This will require the person being visible and making the United Nations visible for all the good things it does. An unfriendly secretary-general, or a person who cannot make himself easily being understood by the international media, will definitely set the United Nations back. Annan’s pleasant-sounding voice, attractive and gorgeous wife, and also empathy for the Manhattan social scene helped had give the United Nations a bit of confidence that made the organization seems a little less upsetting than it otherwise it would have been in its darkest hours and terrible states. However, the United Nations’ membership will hit back against a secretary general who they think is trying to steal too much of the spotlight and public attention for achievements that they see as their own.
5.7 Someone With Patience
Patience is vital to counterbalance angina as the United Nations goes about its lethal, day-to-day business of approving documents, acting on minute budget appeals, and also paying recognition to two-bit holidays and insignificant causes. However, impatience is vital in retaliation to governments that postpone and muddle, and civil servant who cannot and would not get the job done and complete.
5.8 A Person With Moral Authority
Moral authority is not that vital, but it w
ould definitely be nice to have a secretary-general that has something in his background that could make him has an intense moral call to countries that might help prevent or curb the pettiness, risk-avoidance, and also indifference that guides to circumstances like the non-intervention in Darfur. A survivor of some traumatic destruction or human rights abuse might be able to mount a more compelling and convincing call rather than someone who has devoted his whole career moving paper.
6.0 CONCLUSION
The Secretary-General of the United Nations definitely plays an important role and carries a huge responsibility as the chief of the organization, considering the multiple and pressing challenges the United Nations faces today. It has been 70 years since the very first day of the establishment of the United Nations and it is undoubtedly that the upcoming challenges are going to be brutal with all the uncertainties going on in today’s world. Hence, the United Nations needs someone who is reliable and has strong leadership skills as stated in this research earlier. The real question is, who is going to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations to replace Ban Ki-Moon’s place? Whoever that person is, he or she is surely someone who meets all the required qualities and disciplines to fill the post as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations and are able to secure peace and hence, make the world a better place for our future generations.