By Matthew Russell Lee, News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS, June 6 -- While leaders in the UN loudly praised the Arab Spring as a move toward democracy, Ban Ki-moon is being anointed without any competition or even debate for another five year term as Secretary General.
If democracy is good in the Middle East, why not in the UN itself? Wouldn't a more formal process, including questions ranging from Libya through human rights to the budget, benefit the UN and its legitimacy?
Even the International Monetary Fund, derided for lack of transparency, last month announced a process whereby candidates can put in their names by June 10, with three or four to be interviewed and a decision made by June 30.
At the UN by contrast, there is no deadline, and no explanation of the sudden rush. Much is made of the lack of other candidates, but no formal process for nominations was ever announced.
There is no transparency: the Security Council could take up and adopt, without vote, the dipositive resolution without any notice to the public, in any closed door consultations as early as today.
Some have said Ban would like to do it with the Presidents of Gabon and Nigeria in town: that is, on the margins of Tuesday's speeches about HIV / AIDS.
Beginning with an Inner City Press report midday on Friday that Ban would meet with the Asia Group on Monday morning then announce to the press Monday at 11:30, it has been widely reported that the process has begun (and just as widely predicted that there is no opposition.)
Monday in the UN's North Lawn Building, Inner City Press observed a slew of high UN official going up to Ban's third floor office: Alain Le Roy and Susana Malcorra of Peacekeeping, information technology's Mr. Choi, manager in waiting Franz Baumann -- whom Inner City Press thanked for a recent written answer -- Ban's Special Adviser on Africa and other issues, and top Political adviser Lynn Pascoe, who told Inner City Press “it's just the boss holding his normal Monday morning meeting.” We'll see.
