Partnerships vital to preventing polarization

Srgjan Kerim, one of the nine global candidates vying for the job of UN secretary general, told Xinhua in a recent interview that building partnerships is the best way to prevent polarization.

"We live in an era of globalization which dominates economical and technological processes worldwide. Politically speaking, the world is becoming multi-polar, which does not necessarily need to cause polarizations and gaps," said Kerim, who was nominated as a candidate for the UN top job by the government of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).

Kerim had served as president of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly from 2007 to 2008, as well as foreign minister of the FYROM from 2000 to 2001.

"As we are facing turbulent times in world affairs, the need for multilateralism and therefore the United Nations is greater than ever," he said, adding regions such as East Asia, Central Asia and beyond had tremendous potential to build partnerships.

With regard to the migrant crisis, Kerim said the matter was a complex issue. It touches upon various sensitive security problems people are facing in the Mediterranean area and the Middle East. A series of steps should be undertaken in order to create a sustainable solution for this crisis.

He put forward proposals such as stopping armed conflicts in Syria and other countries in the region and to reach a diplomatic solution within the United Nations. Secondly, Kerim would aim to consolidate the economic and political conditions in countries whose people are immigrating.

He added implementing the agreements signed between the European Union and Turkey was important, as well as improving cooperation between International Organization for Migration, UNHCR and the EU.

Kerim noted that strengthening counter-terrorism strategy was essential to eliminating terrorism from the international stage.

He said the political agenda for his candidacy was comprised of priorities such as management reform, security architecture, sustainable development, climate change, and financing for development.

"In order to achieve these objectives, the necessary tools that are needed include multilateralism, partnerships and preventive diplomacy and mediation," he said.

The United Nations concluded the first round of public interviews with the nine candidates vying to be next UN secretary general on April 14.

Under the UN Charter, the secretary general is appointed by the General Assembly following the recommendation of the Security Council.

The newly elected secretary-general will succeed Ban Ki-moon, the eighth UN chief who will conclude his tenure on Dec. 31 this year.

On Jan. 1, 2017, the new UN chief will start a five-year term, which can be renewed by member states for an additional five years.

Source: XINHUA