President Macky Sall's candidacy for the office of UN Secretary-General also stakes out the house he would run. The Secretariat employs tens of thousands of staff, conducts operations across several continents, and spends funds entrusted by member states. A taxpayer, a region, a continent judge the Organization by what they see of its management.
Doing more with the means already voted. Budgets tighten as mandates lengthen. The Secretariat cannot answer every crisis with a request for extra credits. Its first task is to show that the money already voted produces measurable results, mission by mission, line by line.
Recruiting and promoting on merit. Competence first, fair geographic representation, gender parity kept as a commitment rather than a year-end statistic. A post filled for reasons other than competence costs twice: the person who earned it, and the people the mission was meant to serve.
Making management legible. Performance reports, independent evaluations, and the follow-up to internal investigations would gain from being accessible and written to be read. An administration that documents its failures as fully as its successes corrects itself faster than one that buries them.
Protecting those who report. An organization is worth its principles only if the staff member who reports an abuse does not risk a career for it. Whistle-blower protection and sanctions for misconduct, including at the top, measure the sincerity of any speech about integrity.
Experience in running a state. Twelve years as head of state and the chairmanship of the African Union in 2022 underpin these commitments. That experience explains why the vision statement filed with the United Nations frames its proposals as obligations: peace, security and development conceived together; a renewed multilateralism; stronger governance of the Organization.
Africa at its heart, the world in its sights.
The budget and audit reports of the United Nations are public. Read all public positions at www.mackysall.net