Speaking to reporters ahead of the sessions, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the selection of the next Secretary-General will decide the direction of the UN, which represents 8 billion people worldwide, half of whom are women and girls.
She said international cooperation has never been more urgent, as the world now faces growing geopolitical tensions, conflicts, climate change, technological transformation, pandemics, and widening inequality.
She said that the next Secretary-General must address current challenges and also advance reforms to ensure that the UN remains fit for its purpose in the 21st century.
The 4 candidates for Secretary-General are Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and ex-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Macky Sall, former President of Senegal; and Rebeca Grynspan, an economist, former Vice President of Costa Rica, and current Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
