Senegal's ex-president Macky Sall urges peace and diplomacy at UN audition

Senegal's former president Macky Sall urged peace and diplomacy during his audition to take over as United Nations Secretary-General.

Macky Sall, one of the candidates for the top UN job, spoke to reporters after an informal dialogue Wednesday.

Sall was endorsed by Burundi but neither Senegal nor the African Union is backing his candidacy. 

When answering a question about tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, Sall called for continued diplomacy and support for mediation efforts led by Pakistan.

He urged all parties to maintain a ceasefire and work toward a lasting agreement.

“We don’t need more bombs. We don’t need missiles. We need peace,” he said.

Sall also reiterated the link between prosperity and security, calling for an integrated approach that connects security, peace, development and human rights, with greater protection for vulnerable groups, including women and youth.

Four candidates to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations are auditioning for the job this week, far fewer than there were 10 years ago when António Guterres was selected as UN chief.

Chile’s former President Michelle Bachelet — one of two women and one of three from Latin America — was the first to face ambassadors from the UN’s 193 member nations during a three-hour question-and-answer session Tuesday.

Bachelet was followed by UN nuclear chief Rafael Mariano Grossi of Argentina.

Earlier Wednesday, UN trade chief Rebeca Grynspan also took center stage in the General Assembly hall before Macky Sall.

The divisions among world powers are so deep that the organisation has been unable to fulfill its primary role in ensuring global peace and security.

The once powerful Security Council has been blocked from acting to halt wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran, among other conflicts, leaving the UN on the sidelines of major global crises.

The Secretary-General is appointed by the UN General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. There's no set deadline to announce the successful candidate.