UN takes historic step to open selection of new UN chief

Updated: 2016-04-13 07:42

(Agencies)

The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference at the end of the special EU summit with Western Balkan nations situated along the migrant routes into Europe in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 26, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

While Tuesday's session was under way, another candidate announced his entry into the race: former Serbian foreign minister and General Assembly president Vuk Jeremic said in Belgrade that the government will be nominating him.

In his lead-off presentation, Luksic spoke in both English and French — the two working languages of the United Nations — and said thank you in the four other working languages as well, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Chinese.

He stressed the importance of promoting women in top UN posts and said if the secretary-general is from a country in the developed north, the deputy secretary-general should be from the developing south. And he proposed that the deputy secretary-general be based in Nairobi to focus on implementing the new UN goals for 2030 to tackle poverty and preserve the environment as well as key regional issues.

In response to Algeria, representing the Non-Aligned Movement of more than 100 developing countries, who asked how he would resist pressure from the major powers, Luksic suggested that the question be asked after a first five-year term saying "the only way to measure it is by results."