Two veterans of long careers at the United Nations have turned their combined expertise toward a post they describe as the 'most impossible job on earth'. Shashi Tharoor and Ed Mathew have co-authored a piece in the Indian Express offering a detailed examination of the UN Secretary-General's role, drawing on their experience as long-time UN officials to unpack what makes this position so uniquely formidable.
Security Council Prepares for Straw Polls
The UN Security Council is moving toward the selection of its next Secretary-General and is gearing up to hold straw polls next month. These informal votes among Council members serve as a pivotal early step in the process, providing a clearer picture of which candidates hold sufficient support before a formal recommendation proceeds. The timing of Tharoor and Mathew's article places their analysis squarely at the centre of this unfolding global conversation.
Tharoor Highlights the Piece on X
Tharoor brought the article to public attention through a post on social media platform X. He noted that he and Ed Mathew, writing from the vantage point of long-time UN officials, had looked closely at the demands and contradictions that define the Secretary-General's position. Their piece examines why this particular job, despite carrying immense global prestige, remains extraordinarily difficult to execute effectively.
Public Reaction
The post generated a wave of enthusiastic responses on social media, with many people expressing the view that Tharoor himself would be a compelling and well-qualified candidate for the role. There was widespread hope that his name would receive serious consideration when the time comes, with supporters arguing that India has in him an exceptional potential representative for the world's most demanding diplomatic post.
