UN seeks new leader as major powers go their own way

The UN is seeking a new leader as its influence wanes, with world leaders gathering in New York this week to select a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends December 31. The election process faces challenges as major powers increasingly act unilaterally, with experts citing the US-Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan as an example of the UN being sidelined. Candidates must balance countering permanent Security Council members like Russia, China, and the US without alienating them. The new leader also inherits a financial crisis with billions in unpaid contributions, prompting calls for greater visibility and risk-taking. Former diplomat Sigrid Kaag calls it "perhaps the most impossible job in the world," requiring engagement with leaders from Trump to rebels in Yemen.