[E394]Next UN Chief Candidates Kick off First ever Open Hearings
Next UN Chief Candidates Kick off First ever Open Hearings
2016-04-13 08:27:15
CRIENGLISH.com
Each candidate is being given two hours, which includes a short oral presentation[1] followed by a Q&A session[2].
The informal meetings[3] are being televised and webcast around the world[4] in the working languages of the UN.
Key themes for the candidates so far have been the future role of the UN, and key issues in world affairs[5].
Most candidates come from Eastern Europe[6]. By tradition the region is assumed to be the next in line[7] to have a representative at the top of the UN.
The organization has had eight secretary generals[8] in its 70-year history, all of them men. There have been many calls for the next holder of the position to be a woman.
Igor Luksic, former prime minister of Montenegro[9], was first to be interviewed. He proposed a new approach to improving the world body's work[10] when it comes to peace building.
"More efficiency and effectiveness can be brought about by setting up a UN peace operation group (which is) closely supervised by secretary general and deputy secretary general[11] as presented in my vision statement[12]. This modification can make a difference in supplying the Security Council[13] and peace building commission with necessary and improved insight enabling, better decision making and improved coordination."
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注释
[1]口头陈述;口头演讲
[2]问答环节/时间
[3]非正式会议
[4]全球电视、网络直播
[5]国际事务中的关键问题
[6]东欧
[7]next in line (Immediately belowthe present holder of a position in order of succession)
[8]秘书长
[9]黑山共和国
[10]改善世界组织的工作
[11]副秘书长
[12]愿景宣言;远景声明;未来展望
[13](联合国)安理会
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Bulgarian diplomat[1] Irina Bokova currently leads the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization of UNESCO[2].
Bokova highlighted gender equality and women empowerment[3] during her session.
"I think that the 21st century has to be the century of a true commitment to equality between the sexes[4] and to provide women an opportunity to develop as equal members in this society."
Apart from UNESCO boss Bokova, there are another five veterans[5] of the Organisation. The former prime minister of New Zealand[6] Helen Clark has led the UN Development Program[7] since 2009.
Antonio Guterres of Portugal[8] served as the UN high commissioner for refugees[9] for a decade.
Also in the race are the former Slovenian[10] President Danilo Turk, who once worked as an assistant secretary general of the UN, and Srgjan Kerim, Macedonia[11]'s foreign minister, who is also the country's UN ambassador.
The other contenders[12] are the foreign minister of Croatia[13] Vesna Pusic as well as senior Moldovan[14] diplomat Natalia Gherman.
President of the UN General Assembly[15], Mogens Lykketoft, is an active promoter of this week's informal meetings with the candidates.
"I view these dialogues as a potential game changer for the United Nations. They represent an opportunity for the General Assembly to reassert itself to[16] establish a new standard of transparency and inclusivity[17] in decisive UN processes and most importantly to help to secure the best possible candidate to be our next UN secretary general."
Under the UN Charter[18], the 15-member Security Council has the final say[19] in who will be the next UN chief.
In reality, the top post has been chosen behind closed doors largely by the five permanent members of the Security Council[20] before a nomination[21] is presented to the General Assembly for approval.
The successor to current UN chief Ban Ki-moon will begin a five-year term from Jan 1 next year.
For CRI, I'm Su Yi in New York.
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注释
[1]保加利亚外交官
[2]联合国教科文组织
[3]男女平等 妇女赋权
[4]真正致力于(实现)男女平等的世纪
[5]老手,富有经验的人
[6]新西兰
[7]联合国开发计划署
[8]葡萄牙
[9]联合国难民事务高级专员
[10]斯洛维尼亚
[11]马其顿(巴尔干半岛一古国)
[12]竞争者
[13]克罗地亚(南斯拉夫成员共和国名)
[14]摩尔多瓦
[15]联合国大会
[16]重申;再次断言;再次肯定
[17]透明、包容
[18]联合国宪章
[19]拍板;有决定权;说了算
[20]联合国安理会的五个常任理事国
[21]任命,提名;提名权
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