Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga has become the sixth candidate and first female to enter the race to succeed Kofi Annan. She was jointly nominated by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
In a statement issued after the nomination, Vīķe-Freiberga addressed the questions unique to her campaign – being a female candidate and an East European.
The time has come for a woman to be taken seriously as a candidate for this prestigious position. General Assembly Resolution 51/241, adopted in 1997, requires that in the selection process due regard be given to gender equality… Half of humankind has never been represented at the helm of the UN.
…
…as a result of historical events in the 20th Century, the Secretary General of the UN has never come from the Eastern European group… We do not accept the principle of regional rotation as the principal and sole factor in the selection of a candidate. While I deeply respect the candidates that have already been nominated, the selection procedure should not restrict the rights and opportunities of other potential candidates. I hope that the choice made by the Security Council and the General Assembly will be based solely on the candidates’ qualifications, personal qualities and vision of the future of the UN.
Vīķe-Freiberga has been considered a candidate strongly supported by the United States in its search for an East European nominee. But she is considered unselectable given her outspoken criticism of Russia and that government’s firm position against choosing an East European.
What is Vīķe-Freiberga’s campaign strategy? There have already been two straw polls, with consistent results showing strong support for Ban. The other five candidates are all Asian and a majority of governments has firmly stated their committments to backing only an Asian nominee. A decision is likely within the next month, if not sooner, providing little time for her to campaign.
April 2006 Interview with the Center for UN Reform Education >>
Clip from the January 2006 Davos meeting with Vīķe-Freiberga, Ban and Dhanapala.
Update: A press conference on the nomination will take place on Monday, 18 September, at 10:30am in the Morrison Room of Hotel Benjamin, 125 East 50th Street, New York. For more information, please call 212-838-8877, 917-8604235 or e-mail mission.un-ny@mfa.gov.lv.
[…] Obviously, this can be seen as boosting the candidacy of Vīķe-Freiberga. However given the Chinese insistence — and the widespread support — of the rotation, this may be instead threatening a veto of Ban. And, again, inviting more candidates into the race. […]
[…] UNSG.org reports that Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga has become the sixth candidate and first female to enter the race to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary-General of the United Nations. Jointly nominated by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Vīķe-Freiberga is not expected to pose a serious challenge to current frontrunner, South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki Moon, as she is Eastern European, whilst most nations (with the notable exception of the USA) have stated that they will only back an Asian candidate. […]
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