Seven decades ago, our forefathers met in San Francisco, witnessing the rubble of WWII, to establish an organization that will keep world in peace and prevent another global conflict. They have understood peace in its complexity, not just as an absence of war or permanent armistice. Peace means rules respected by everyone -- big or small, rich or poor -- means cooperation, it means respect for human rights and dignity.
Coming from a smaller nation in Central Europe, I have learned pretty soon how important are agreed rules, cooperation, respect for partners and most of all willingness to listen and find common solutions. As a diplomat, I tried to help heal wounds of war-torn societies in the Western Balkans. The importance of peace did not diminish. On the contrary! Sure, we have so far managed to avoid the third global conflict. But we have failed to prevent and stop the horrors of Rwanda, Srebrenica or Syria.
The UN has brought peace and order to many places around the world. However terrorism, violent extremism, violations of human rights, natural disasters caused by climate change -- they all threaten the lives of people today. Add migration, insufficient health care, lack of education and the picture gets even bleaker. The truth is that, unfortunately, the world today is no safer than it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago.
The UN system has all that is needed -- institutions, norms and know-how. There are capacities, human resources, brains and hands. But maybe the system is not adequately set to be able to deal with today's challenges the way it is expected from us.
My goal therefore would be to put more emphasis on how to do things better. We need to use the existing instruments and processes more efficiently and adjust the system to get more from it.
I want to emphasize four areas that I find of particular importance:
1/ First and foremost, it is conflict prevention. Because by preventing wars we save lives! Plus a dollar spent on prevention can save up to 10 dollars on humanitarian aid. As a foreign-policy practitioner I feel strongly that prevention must come to the forefront of UN activities as a concerted action!
The UN must have adequate resources and the right capabilities to fully engage in global peacekeeping. The new Secretary-General should continue the necessary work to strengthen the planning and operational capacities, both at Headquarters and in the field. And the Secretariat must be properly equipped to manage the complex needs of peacekeeping operations.
In post-conflict rehabilitation and peace-building, we must strengthen state capacity. And put maximum emphasis on inclusivity, cultural awareness and local niche. Coordination and cooperation of local and regional actors is a must.
2/ Development is another area of my concern. According to statistics last year, one out of nine people lived in extreme poverty. Sixteen thousand children died every single day of hunger and preventable diseases. More than 60 million people were forced to flee their homes.
It is impossible to ensure peace without addressing poverty and hunger, without giving people shelter and hope. The SDGs are the most promising, most comprehensive and most ambitious pledge to change the world in 15 years. It is absolutely essential to implement and deliver what we have promised.
But I don't mean to see people just surviving. They have to have the chance to live their lives with dignity! To achieve that, the UN system must be properly adjusted and synergized to address current priorities. And it must also include proper monitoring and evaluation.
3/ The UN must continue to be the leading advocate for human rights and international law. Human-rights violations are often the first indicators of instability. But they also are the first steps to stripping people of their freedom and dignity. Whenever there is such a risk, we must act resolutely. We shall continue with the institutional consolidation of the UN human-rights system. Human rights must be mainstreamed across all UN activities, including development, peace and security. And they also must be adequately resourced. That would allow the UN to play a key role in creating a fair human environment for all.
4/ Finally, none of UN objectives can be achieved without a competent, functional and effective Secretariat. The SG is here to match the UN's potential and its administrative capacities with the needs and expectations of the international community.
The changes inside the system have to continuously reflect the ever evolving international environment. It is imperative to make sure the needs of the world and our abilities to respond to them are perfectly synchronized.
We need a modern and active UN using new technologies. One that is open to the media, engaged in a regular meaningful cooperation with regional organizations, the business community, academia, civil society and NGOs.
We have to adjust and modernize the management of human resources. It is necessary to give particular attention to competency and merit-based selection and promotion.
And surely, we need more women in senior positions at the Headquarters and in the field. I would therefore nominate a woman from the Global South as Deputy Secretary-General.
Sound management of financial resources according to the principles of budgetary discipline is equally important. Effective oversight and strong accountability come with it, too.
The aim is to strengthen the trust of Member States and the general public in the integrity and transparency of the United Nations.
The UN is the most universal and relevant organization on this planet. I believe in the UN. I wish to see it even more successful, effective and respected. And I want to use my professional experience and skills to do my share to contribute to it.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post regarding the selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. A new Secretary-General will take office on January 1, 2017, and each of the declared candidates for the position was invited to participate in this blog series. The President of the General Assembly noted that, this year, the selection process will have more transparency than ever before. The declared candidates for the position are listed by the UN here. To see all the posts in the series, visit here.