UNSC Open Debate on Leadership for Peace
Statement delivered by Ms. Katri Lõhmus, Deputy Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN
New York, 15 December 2025
Thank you, President.
I also thank the briefers for their useful contributions.
Estonia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and by Switzerland on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group.
I welcome today´s timely discussion on the future of the United Nations leadership as the process of selecting and appointing the next Secretary-General of the United Nations has formally started.
Nothing less than the credibility of the United Nations is at stake.
Transforming the UN to be fit for purpose for the challenges of the twenty-first century, restoring the relevance and faith in the UN as a guardian of peace and security, upholding all three pillars of the UN system – all this requires very strong, experienced and principled leadership.
Estonia insists that the appointed candidate must have a proven and impeccable track record in support of multilateralism, international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
We need a candidate with a profile of a leader who has operated at the highest level – someone experienced to interact with different stakeholders in high-stakes conflict environments; someone independent, principled and bold to take proactive steps to uphold international norms, prevent conflicts and find solutions to the ongoing ones.
We call on candidates to elaborate on these elements in their vision statements and hearings in the General Assembly – ensuring that they use these opportunities to cover their vision for the future of the organisation, including all three UN pillars of work and the interplay between them.
President,
It is time for a female Secretary-General. After 80 years of men-only leadership, the argument that a fair and merit-based selection process somehow leads to a man again, is not holding up anymore. There are plenty of excellent female candidates around.
Consideration for the regional diversity is also important. Inclusivity requires that all regions of the world, not just few, have a voice in shaping the strategic direction of the organisation. We should not fail second time around.
President,
Ten years ago, good progress was made to enhance the transparency and inclusivity in the selection process of the Secretary-General. Yet, there is still room for improvement, especially with regard to the role of the General Assembly.
In order to make a meaningful and informed decision, the General Assembly needs to be engaged in the whole selection process.
It is important that the timing and structure of the open dialogues with candidates allow full assessment of the whole spectrum of criteria necessary for the job. Active participation of civil society in those hearings plays a critical part and we must look for ways to expand the opportunity for civil society integration in the process.
Given the complementary roles assigned to the Security Council and the General Assembly in this process, there must be an opportunity for the Assembly to express its preference with respect to candidates. We hope to see a more structured, clearer signal of the General Assembly’s views on candidates. This could be done through advisory votes or other quantifiable mechanisms.
We also call the Security Council to recommend more than one candidate for the General Assembly’s consideration. This would ease the appointment decision of the Assembly and further enhance the complementary roles assigned to both forums in the Charter.
It has been said that the selection of the Secretary-General will most likely be one of the most consequential decisions the world body makes in the upcoming year. We cannot mess it up.
I thank you.