Ambassador Niranjan Deva-Aditya, who has been leading a personal campaign to become the next UNSG, has launched a campaign website at SriLankanforUNSG.com, mirroring similar online campaigns by Surakiart Sathirathai, Jayantha Dhanapala and, to a limited extent, Shashi Tharoor.

Update, July 20th: Deva’s assistant alerted UNSG.org that the site is not in fact published by Deva, but rather by his supporters in Sri Lanka. (Whois info)

“We would be grateful if you would make it clear that the Sri Lankan website to which you refer is not Niranjan’s website… The Sri Lankan website has been set up by some of his many supporters in Sri Lanka, but Niranjan cannot accept responsibility for what they say.”

Deva does have the background to be an ideal UNSG, even if he is not an ideal UNSG candidate. His accomplishments in areas of sustainable development, humanitarian assistance and European-Asian relations are remarkable. His own cosmopolitan heritage speaks well to what the post of UNSG should reflect, if it were not for the major powers or the existing selection process.

But the claim made on the website that Deva “has been nominated by the former Prime Ministers of France and Poland as a candidate for UN Secretary-General” is simply misleading. The use of the term “nomination” has a specific meaning – support by a sitting government – and that, Deva does not have. What he does have are letters of support from FORMER prime ministers (each of whom are now colleagues of Deva in the European Parliament). Endorsements by FORMER foreign leaders, yes; nominations, no.

Similar to Surakiart‘s campaign, Deva’s supporters claim broad support from foreign leaders – confusing diplomatic politeness for political backing. Devas has been cordially received in many capitals and by many officials. Even Shashi Tharoor, India’s nominee for UNSG, praised Deva’s credentials mere days before his own campaign for the post was made official. Yet despite his credentials and experience, Deva has not and is not likely to receive an official nomination, for two reasons:

1. The government from which he most needs a nomination – Sri Lanka – has formally backed Jayantha Dhanapala, and that is not likely to change.
2. Despite his heritage and unquestionable strong ties to Sri Lanka, Deva is also not only a British citizen, but an elected British REPRESENTATIVE in the European Parliament. Perhaps he has a better chance than Tony Blair at getting the nod, but his ties to a permanent member state will still likely knock him off many governments’ short-lists.

Regardless of talking points to the contrary, these are, while political, still very real obstacles to a nomination.

Deva does have one (long) shot. If the straw polls to be taken this month reveal low support for Dhanapala, Deva may be able to get a more supportive hearing from the Sri Lankan government. But if and until that occurs, the official “SriLankanforUNSG” remains Dhanapala.

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