ThinkTankWeekly

Who Will Be the Next UN Secretary-General?

CFR | 2026-10-21 | diplomacy

Topics: AI, China, Climate, Nuclear, Russia, Trade, United States

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English Summary

The race for the next UN Secretary-General is poised to confront profound global challenges, regardless of the winner. Key evidence suggests the new leader will be tasked with navigating escalating geopolitical tensions, climate change, AI proliferation, and severe funding shortfalls, compounded by the UN's internal structural paralysis. For policy and strategy, the implication is that the organization requires urgent, comprehensive reform—especially within the Security Council—to restore multilateral credibility and effectively manage global instability. The selection process itself is also influenced by calls for diversity, including electing a woman and a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean.

中文摘要

爭奪下一任聯合國秘書長的競賽,無論最終由誰當選,都預計將面臨深層的全球挑戰。關鍵證據顯示,新任領導人將被要求應對升級的地緣政治緊張局勢、氣候變遷、人工智慧(AI)的擴散,以及嚴重的資金短缺,這些問題更因聯合國自身的結構性癱瘓而加劇。從政策和戰略角度來看,這意味著該組織亟需進行緊急且全面的改革——特別是在安全理事會方面——以恢復其多邊信譽,並有效管理全球不穩定性。此外,選舉過程本身也受到要求提升多元化的影響,包括選舉一位女性和一位來自拉丁美洲及加勒比地區的候選人。

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