GENEVA — Four of the five candidates vying to succeed U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres urged stronger human rights protections, respect for international law and organisational reform during a Geneva debate on June 9, as the United Nations faces a deepening financial crisis and multiple global conflicts.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador called for energetic leadership to restore the U.N.’s moral authority and proposed an early‑action hub to tackle emerging conflicts. Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica said waning trust in international institutions requires closer cooperation with regional bodies to strengthen peace and security.
Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet placed human rights at the centre of her agenda, defending sexual and reproductive rights as part of the U.N.’s commitments and saying she would “be honoured” if support for those positions triggered a U.S. veto. Senegal’s former president Macky Sall, speaking via prerecorded video, argued for development‑led peacebuilding focused on jobs, infrastructure, climate justice and fair finance.
Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, currently head of the IAEA, did not participate with a video message. The debate comes as the U.N. grapples with major donor cuts, $4 billion in unpaid U.S. arrears and a wave of conflicts that challenges its authority and finances.