The clock is ticking fast to replace the United Nations current Secretary General Antonio Guterres
And while he can't nominate his successor, there's one thing about which he and many others feel very strongly
At the level of senior staff of the United Nations, we have parity
And I'm very proud of that. But the truth is, whether in the United Nations or in the leadership positions of the most powerful countries in the world
it's time to see women. With that in mind, Chile's President Gabriel Boric announced the formal nomination of former Socialist President Michel Bachelet as the first official candidate
In this candidacy we are not alone. It is presented in conjunction with our brother nations of Mexico and Brazil, the two most populated countries in Latin America
Twice president of Chile, Bachelet has vast experience at the UN, as the first executive director of UN Women, and then as High Commissioner for Human Rights
The international organization founded after World War II to promote peace and security
protect human rights, support development and encourage multilateralism is experiencing a crisis as never before
with founding members like the United States questioning its very relevance In the context of multiple crises conflicts climate change deep inequalities
technological disruptions and institutional mistrust, the UN must renew itself to continue to be legitimate, more modern, efficient, transparent and oriented towards results
This is the United Nations headquarters for Latin America and the Caribbean
While it's not written in the charter, there's long been an unwritten agreement to rotate the Secretary General's position among regions
For example, the current Secretary General is from Portugal and therefore represents Europe
Now it is Latin America's turn. Bachelet may be the first one out the gate, but she has strong competition
Other interested candidates include former Costa Rica Vice President and Economist Rebecca Greenspan
former Ecuadorian foreign minister Maria Fernandez Espinosa, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, and Barbados prime minister Mia Motley
The list will likely grow before the election process begins in April
The winner must win unanimous backing from the Security Council at a time when its members are more divided than ever
unable to agree on reforms desperately needed to secure the United Nations' survival
Lucia Newman, Al Jazeera, Santiago