1991 United Nations Secretary-General selection

Selection of Boutros Boutros-Ghali 1991 United Nations Secretary-General selection United Nations no 1981 United Nations Secretary-General selection 1981 1996 United Nations Secretary-General selection 1996 10 October 1991 – 21 November 1991 UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar Boutros Boutros-Ghali Country Best vote Vetoes Round 120x160px Boutros Boutros-Ghali Egypt 11 15 lightblue None 6th straw poll21 November 1991 120x160px Bernard Chidzero Zimbabwe 10 15 lightblue None 2nd straw poll21 October 1991 120x160px Olusegun Obasanjo Nigeria 9 15 lightblue None 4th straw poll11 November 1991 A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in 1991 to replace Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, whose second term would end on 31 December 1991. Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt was selected for a term ending on 31 December 1996, becoming the first Secretary-General from Africa. The 1991 selection took place at a time of expectations for a "new world order," in which the United Nations would no longer be paralyzed by the superpower conflict of the Cold War.Goshko John M. World's Diplomats Begin Jockeying to Pick New U.N. Secretary General https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/08/04/worlds-diplomats-begin-jockeying-to-pick-new-un-secretary-general/167eab54-ba84-42db-ba33-a998e657fdb0/ The Washington Post 4 August 1991 The expectations appeared to be fulfilled when the 1991 selection became the smoothest open selection in decades. No vetoes were cast against any of the African candidates on the ballot in 1991, in sharp contrast to the deadlocked 1981 selection and 1971 selection. For the first time, the straw polling procedure was used from the first round of voting, establishing the innovation first tried in 1981 as the standard procedure for future selections. The 1991 selection also established the principle of regional rotation of the Secretary-Generalship, as the Third World countries voted as a bloc to deny the office to any non-African candidate. Background Prior to 1991, there had never been a Secretary-General from Africa. In 1981, Salim Ahmed Salim of Tanzania received the most votes in the first round of voting, but he was vetoed by the United States.Nossiter Bernard D. Someone is Trying to Fire Dr. Waldheim https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/01/weekinreview/someone-is-trying-to-fire-dr-waldheim.html The New York Times 1 November 1981 The selection then deadlocked as China vetoed Kurt Waldheim a record 16 times, while the United States vetoed or voted against Salim a total of 15 times. To break the impasse, Waldheim and Salim both suspended their candidacies, and Javier Pérez de Cuéllar was selected as the first Secretary-General from Latin America.Sievers Loraine Davis Sam The Procedure of the UN Security Council 2014 Oxford Univ Press 9780199685295 4411 As Javier Pérez de Cuéllar's second term drew to a close in 1991, the campaign for an African Secretary-General got underway. The Organisation of African Unity promised that its member states would vote against any non-African candidates in the General Assembly. The Non-Aligned Movement also endorsed the six official candidates from Africa. Since the Non-Aligned Movement included a majority of the votes in the UN General Assembly, it could block any candidate recommended by the Security Council.Lewis Paul Africans Pressing Bid for U.N. Post https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/22/world/africans-pressing-bid-for-un-post.html The New York Times 22 October 1991 China again declared its support for a Secretary-General from Africa. However, the other four permanent members of the Security Council rejected the principle of regional rotation.Lewis Paul Search Is On for Next U.N. Secretary General https://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/17/world/search-is-on-for-next-un-secretary-general.html The New York Times 17 March 1991 The Soviet Union and France even considered extending Pérez's term for a couple of years, but he decided to retire. Candidates Six African candidates were nominated by the Organisation of African Unity. Two other Africans were nominated by their own countries. Non-African candidates were also nominated during the straw polling. Official candidatesImageCandidatePositionNominated byRegional group90pxFrance 1974IranSwitzerland Prince Sadruddin Aga KhanHead of UN relief operations in IraqUnknownAsian Group, Western European and Others Group90pxEgypt Boutros Boutros-GhaliFormer Minister of Foreign Affairs (Egypt)Organisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxNetherlands Hans van den BroekForeign Minister of the NetherlandsUnknownWestern European and Others Group90pxNorway Gro Harlem BrundtlandPrime Minister of NorwayUnknownWestern European and Others Group90pxZimbabwe Bernard ChidzeroChairman of the Development Committee of the World BankOrganisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxGhana Kenneth DadzieSecretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and DevelopmentOrganisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxSierra Leone James Jonah Assistant Secretary-General for Special Political QuestionsJames O.C. Jonah http://www.unhistory.org/CD/Jonah.html United Nations Intellectual History Project 27 March 2022Organisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxCameroon Michel Doo KingueUnknown member of Security CouncilAfrican Group90pxPhilippines 1986 Raul ManglapusForeign Minister of the PhilippinesUnknownAsian Group90pxCanada Brian MulroneyPrime Minister of CanadaUnited StatesGoshko John M. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, U.N. secretary general who clashed with U.S., dies https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/boutros-boutros-ghali-un-secretary-general-who-clashed-with-us-dies-at-93/2016/02/16/8b727bb8-d4c1-11e5-be55-2cc3c1e4b76b_story.html Washington Post February 16, 2016Western European and Others Group90pxNigeria Olusegun ObasanjoFormer Head of State of NigeriaOrganisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxGabon Nguema Francois OwonoFormer Minister of Culture of GabonOrganisation of African UnityAfrican Group90pxNorway Thorvald StoltenbergMinister of Foreign Affairs (Norway)UnknownWestern European and Others Group90pxPoland Krzysztof SkubiszewskiForeign Minister of PolandUnknownEastern European Group90pxBurundi Msanze TerrenceFormer Burundi Representative to the UNBurundiAfrican Group Selection The last two open selections in 1971 and 1981 had turned into veto duels, as two of the permanent members each vetoed the other's preferred candidate over multiple rounds of voting. The deadlocked 1981 selection had finally been resolved by turning to straw polls to gauge the level of support for candidates. Instead of voting openly in closed session, members of the Security Council voted anonymously using a secret ballot. After a likely winner had been identified, the permanent members voted on colored ballot paper, while rotating members voted on white paper. Since the colored ballots would reveal the existence of a veto but not the identity of the vetoing member, the likelihood of a veto duel was reduced. The 1991 selection adopted the 1981 procedure from the start, setting a precedent for future selections. The Security Council held six rounds of straw polling over a six-week period.411–412 The straw poll of 10 October 1991 was a partial poll. The second poll took place on 21 October 1991 and featured all nine candidates on the ballot. Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt and Bernard Chidzero of Zimbabwe led the straw poll with 10 votes each. Hans van den Broek of the Netherlands was the leading non-African candidate with 8 votes, one short of the number required for selection.411–412 The third straw poll of 25 October 1991 was again won by Boutros-Ghali and Chidzero.Lewis Paul Bid for U.N. Post Is Led By Zimbabwe and Egypt https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/26/world/bid-for-un-post-is-led-by-zimbabwe-and-egypt.html The New York Times 26 October 1991 All of the non-African candidates received at least seven 'discouraged' votes, corresponding to the number of Third World countries with rotating seats on the Security Council. However, the Third World countries did not vote for all the African candidates, some of whom received fewer than seven votes.Lewis Paul Egyptian Leads Voting for U.N. Post https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/12/world/egyptian-leads-voting-for-un-post.html The New York Times 12 November 1991 Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney also dropped out of the race, as he was facing the possible secession of Quebec from Canada.Mulroney in a Quandary https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/26/world/bid-for-un-post-is-led-by-zimbabwe-and-egypt.html The New York Times 26 October 1991 The fourth straw poll was held on 11 November 1991. A crack opened in the Third World voting bloc, as Hans van den Broek received only six 'discouraged' votes. The fifth straw poll on 12 November 1991 switched to blue ballot papers for the permanent members so that vetoes could be revealed.Lewis Paul Egyptian Leads Voting for U.N. Post https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/12/world/egyptian-leads-voting-for-un-post.html The New York Times 12 November 1991 Chidzero placed first in the poll, and neither candidate received any vetoes.Lewis Paul Zimbabwe Official Takes Lead in Poll For Leader of U.N. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/13/world/zimbabwe-official-takes-lead-in-poll-for-leader-of-un.html The New York Times 13 November 1991 No vetoes were cast against any of the African candidates on the ballot, but all of the non-Africans were vetoed. The sixth straw poll on 21 November 1991 revealed a clear winner. Boutros-Ghali was selected by a vote of 11-0-4. Chidzero came in second with a vote of 7-2-6.411–412Lewis Paul Security Council Selects Egyptian for Top U.N. Post https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/22/world/security-council-selects-egyptian-for-top-un-post.html The New York Times 22 November 1991 France and Belgium convinced four of Chidzero's supporters to stop voting for him, stoked by fears that the United States was trying to delay the selection so that a compromise candidate could emerge, while Boutros-Ghali and Chidzero cancelled each other out.Lewis Paul How U.N. Nominee Won: 4 Switched https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/23/world/how-un-nominee-won-4-switched.html The New York Times 23 November 1991 After the final straw poll, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to recommend Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The General Assembly appointed Boutros-Ghali by acclamation to be Secretary-General of the United Nations for a term ending on 31 December 1996.Appointment of Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali as Secretary-General of the United Nations - 1991 UN Audiovisual Library https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xghi2d3GKvw + United Nations Secretary-General straw poll results, 1991 Candidate 21 October 25 October 11 November 12 November 21 November E D N E D N E D N E D N E D N France 1974IranSwitzerland Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan 5 4 8 (0P) 3 4 7 4 Egypt Boutros Boutros-Ghali 10 9 11 1 3 10 2 (0P) 3 11 0 4 Netherlands Hans van den Broek 8 5 5 6 4 ? (P) 5 7 3 Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland 2 ? (P) 1 8 6 Zimbabwe Bernard Chidzero 10 9 10 2 3 11 1 (0P) 3 7 2 6 Ghana Kenneth Dadzie 7 5 6 4 5 Sierra Leone James Jonah 6 5 5 5 Cameroon Michel Doo Kingue 5 6 4 5 Philippines 1986 Raul Manglapus 3 ? (P) Canada Brian Mulroney 5 Withdrawn Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo 7 9 4 2 Gabon Nguema Francois Owono 6 3 3 9 Norway Thorvald Stoltenberg 2 2 9 4 Poland Krzysztof Skubiszewski Not yet nominated Not on ballot 2 8 5 1996 selection 1996 United Nations Secretary-General selection Boutros-Ghali ran unopposed in 1996 for a second term, receiving votes from 14 of the 15 members of the Security Council. However, he was vetoed by the United States due to political fallout from the Battle of Mogadishu. After the other Security Council members failed to persuade the United States to change its position, the 1996 selection was thrown open to other candidates. Boutros-Ghali became the only Secretary-General to be denied a second term. References 1991