I agree with the Ismail khan. Maliha Lodhi will be an excellent secretary-general.
A woman for UN secretary-general
M Ismail Khan
The next secretary-general should be an Asian – Muslim — woman from Pakistan. Asian because it is Asia’s turn for the job; Muslim because the global conflicts are increasingly taking the shape of Islam versus the rest, woman because there has never been a female secretary-general in UN history, and Pakistani because Pakistan lies on the cross section of the global political and economic fault lines, it is the most allied Islamic ally of the United States, and it has done more than any other country in the war on terror, and it can do more.
Though, the UN secretary-general often cuts a humbling, sometime humiliating, figure when the world’s bigger powers are unhappy. He sounds like a helpless pawn when a tiny country like Israel rubbishes the UN’s calls for restrain. It is also true that the powers of the UN chief in global affairs have never been high, but have further diminished under the Bush dynasty. Yet, the UN secretary general is a job most countries in the world would like to have for one of their citizens. The secretary general cannot stop wars, enforce peace or end human right violations, however, as a ‘chief operating officer’ of the union, the post does provide a competent individual with an opportunity to contribute towards the common good. The person enjoys singular privilege, galore, stature and is heard loud and clear in world’s capitals, which she or he can put to use in moderating radicals, promoting peace, encouraging dialogue, helping the poor, preserving world’s natural and cultural heritage, empowering women, supporting children and advocating a balanced development. The position of the secretary general exudes a positive image for the person’s nation of origin, a Pakistani getting selected as the secretary general can help alter Pakistan’s image, towards the better.
China, which has a veto in the Security Council ad which recommends the candidate to the General Assembly, has already placed its weight behind an Asian candidacy. By convention, the position rotates by geographic region, but as Boutros Boutros-Ghali from Egypt in Africa served only a single term it was agreed that another African candidate Kofi Annan would be given a second term. His second term is now ending meaning that Africa had the position for three terms (15 years) on the trot. To date Europe has had three secretary-generals, Africa two, and Latin America and Asia one each.
So far, four major candidates, all of them Asian, have been endorsed by their respective governments. The main candidates who have kicked off their campaigns are Jayantha Dhanapala, a former diplomat from Sri Lanka, Surakiart Sathirathai, who is the deputy prime minister of Thailand, Ban Ki Moon a civil servant from South Korea, and Shashi Tharoor from India who is currently employed in the UN as under-secretary-general for communications and public information.
India has officially endorsed Shashi Tharoor’s candidacy, despite the fact that by convention the position goes to a compromise candidate from smaller and middle size countries. Shashi’s candidature also raises questions about India’s seriousness for a permanent seat in the security council. In the past, advance campaigning has proved counter productive in catalysing consensus, and many big names have been rejected in favour of unknown and uncontroversial ones.
It is also time for women to lead the United Nation. No woman has held the post of secretary general in the last 60 years. Despite constant preaching that the UN does for gender parity worldwide, particularly in the developing countries, women in the United Nation itself stand under represented. Only a handful of women are undersecretary generals. The commitments made at the 1995 UN Women Summit with regard to development of mechanisms to enhance nomination of women candidates for appointment to senior posts in the United Nations remain unmet.
The UN has yielded a mix result 60 years down the line. It was created to address issues, which existed after the Second World War. During the course it has risen and fallen with the ebb and flow of a dynamic world that evolved around it. The organisation, and its leaders, may not have become what was expected, nevertheless, the world is not what we wish it to be. The world has changed, so did the United Nation, and surely the process will go on for good or worse in the years and decades ahead. Still, one would argue that a world with a United Nation is better than without it, the mere hope of being able to cling on to something on the high seas of unpredictability and non-state paranoia, should be valued.
In the current milieu, an ideal candidate, for those who will eventually get to choose the right one, must be a pragmatic head with an idealist heart. Someone who understands the big five’s and especially Washington’s position on trade, economy, role of the international regulatory and financial institutions, she or he should have a dispassionate knowledge of global political under-currents and hot spots e.g. Korea, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan and China. Someone who seeks stability and status quo in demand and supply of the black gold called oil, and most importantly she or he should understand the new social, political and military phenomena called ‘terrorism’.
Islamabad has not officially endorsed any candidature as yet, however many names e.g. Munir Akram, Maleeha Lodhi, Nafisa Sadik, and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are being mentioned. There is a risk that squabbles among such high-powered contenders could jeopardise the nomination process. On merit, the current high commissioner of Pakistan in London, who was a former Pakistani ambassador in Washington, former editor, economist, and political analyst Dr. Maleeha Lodhi seems well ahead of the rest as the most appropriate candidate. Among other qualities, she is a liberal democrat obediently serving the most decorated general in the war against terror President Pervez Musharraf, who President George Bush fondly remembers as his ‘buddy’. Many will agree that Dr Lodhi is the right Asian Muslim women from Pakistan for the post of UN secretary general.
The writer is from Skardu and is presently based in Islamabad. He has a background in media, public affairs and development. Email: ismail.k2@ gmail.com
