Wanted: one diplomat with infinite patience; UN chief selection gets underway

The contest for the top job at the UN is well under way, this week the first straw polls were held at the Security Council in New York. The results show that Costa Rica’s candidate, former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan is the current front runner, followed by candidates from Guyana and Argentina. Current Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s term ends on December 21, 2026 and whoever take over from him faces the immense task of revitalising the organisation, which has lost some its former prestige due to US antagonism, financial constraints and the sheer number of crises worldwide. Guest: Jeremy Dicker, former Australian diplomate, now managing editor of International Intrigue