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Published 16:11 IST, February 13th 2021

Indian-origin Arora Akanksha announces her candidacy to be UN chief, launches campaign

Indian-origin employee at the Unites Nations, Arora Akanksha (34), has announced her candidacy to be its next Secretary-General.

Reported by: Srishti Goel
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Arora Akanksha (34), an Indian-origin employee at the United Nations, has announced her candidacy to be the next Secretary-General of the international organisation against incumbent Antonio Guterres. Arora is working as an audit coordinator at the Akanksha United Nations Development Program and has shared her campaign (#AroraForSG) launch video on social media. 

Arora Akanksha launched her campaign

In the campaign launch video posted online, Arora Akanksha said, "people working on my post do not dare to claim for such a big post, people like us stand in line waiting for their turn. People like us bow down their heads and obey what is given and accept the world as it is. In his video message, Akanksha appears in the United Nations and says that so far whatever has come on the head post of United Nations, he has not done his responsibility properly".

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Arora added in the video that in the last 75 years, the UN has failed to fulfill the promise made to the world. Refugees from different countries have not been given protection, humanitarian concerns have not been taken care of, as well as technology and innovation have been ignored. 'So we want a UN that takes the world on the path of development. That is why I am submitting my claim for the post of UN Secretary-General. I refuse to stand back and refuse to adopt what I have, she added.'

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Who will be the next UN chief?

Last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is seeking another term as UN Secretary-General. The first term of Antonio Guterres expires on 31 December 2021 and if he is elected again, his next term will start on January 1, 2022. Antonio Guterres is the 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations. 

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It has been more than 75 years since the United Nations came into existence, but so far no woman has been elected to the post of UN Secretary-General. In the United Nations, the Secretary-General is elected on the basis of the recommendation of the General Assembly Security Council. At the same time, permanent members of the United Nations can also impose their veto in some name. United Nations spokesman Stephen Dujarric has stated on the candidature of Akanksha Arora that 'Antonio Guterres is a candidate for UN Secretary-General and the selection of UN Secretary-General depends on the member countries, so I do not know much more at this time.

Also, Brendan Verma, spokesman for the United Nations General Assembly president Volkan Bozkir, said that the Aurora Akanksha application has not yet been received by the President of the United Nations General Assembly. However, he had earlier stated that no one has yet submitted a candidature in the President's Office and generally recommended one's candidature from a member country.

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(with inputs from PTI)

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16:11 IST, February 13th 2021