Key facts
- UN has become too risk-averse, says frontrunner Rebeca Grynspan.
- Grynspan advocates for job cuts, reduced bureaucracy, and focused mandates.
- She cited the Black Sea Grain Initiative as a successful model of quiet diplomacy.
- The UN chief candidate has consistently secured nine votes in informal polls.
- A new poll on Friday will use color-coded ballots to reveal veto power opposition.
Rebeca Grynspan, a leading candidate to become the next UN Secretary-General, stated on Thursday that the United Nations has become excessively risk-averse and requires significant reform. Speaking ahead of a crucial Security Council poll, Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica, argued that the organization must reduce bureaucracy, eliminate duplicated efforts, and be willing to accept the consequences of diplomatic setbacks. She believes that cost-cutting alone is insufficient and that a refocusing of mandates is necessary to revitalize the institution. Grynspan pointed to her experience at the UN Conference on Trade and Development, where she reduced posts while sharpening focus, as a model for her approach. She also highlighted the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative as an example of successful quiet diplomacy. Grynspan has consistently secured the required nine positive votes in informal polls, though she anticipates potential opposition from veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council.