Election of the next UN Secretary-General and Kosovo: Between the UN Charter and Resolution 1244

Written by: Zeljko Sajn for Kosovo Online

The election of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the first informal round of voting in the Security Council set to begin tomorrow, is of particular importance to Serbia. The new head of the world organization will assume office on January 1, 2027, at a time when the issue of Kosovo remains one of the most significant unresolved matters still being addressed by the United Nations.

The candidates for the position are Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, Macky Sall of Senegal, and Olara Otunnu of Uganda. Diplomatic circles at UN Headquarters most frequently mention Bachelet and Grynspan as the leading contenders, although the final outcome will primarily depend on whether the five permanent members of the Security Council can reach consensus on a single candidate. Should either of them be elected, the United Nations would, for the first time since its establishment in 1945, have a woman serving as Secretary-General.

For Serbia, it is particularly significant that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remains a valid instrument of international law confirming the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia, while establishing an international civilian and security presence in Kosovo and Metohija. No decision adopted outside the framework of the Security Council has altered its legal status or rendered the provisions of this resolution void.

For that very reason, the election of the new Secretary-General is not merely a question of selecting an international official, but also one of determining the future approach of the United Nations Secretariat toward the consistent implementation of international law. The Secretary-General has no mandate to amend or reinterpret binding decisions of the Security Council, but through reports, the appointment of special representatives, and the work of the Secretariat, the office can influence the political dynamics of individual international processes.

It is therefore of particular importance to Serbia that the future Secretary-General consistently uphold the UN Charter, Security Council decisions, and the principles of international law. The Secretary-General's role is not to reshape the international legal framework in line with the political interests of individual states, but to safeguard the credibility of the Organization and contribute to the implementation of decisions adopted by its Member States.

The election procedure itself clearly demonstrates that the Security Council continues to bear primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. A candidate may be selected only if they receive the support of at least nine Council members and are not vetoed by any of the five permanent members—the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom. This confirms that the most important international security issues, including Kosovo and Metohija, remain exclusively within the competence of the Security Council.

Diplomatic circles at UN Headquarters emphasize that the future Secretary-General must serve as an impartial guardian of the UN Charter. This is particularly important in cases where political interpretations differ while the legal framework remains unchanged. Kosovo and Metohija is precisely such a case, as its international legal basis continues to rest on Resolution 1244, which remains in force until the Security Council decides otherwise.

At the same time, diplomats at United Nations Headquarters note that some candidates enjoy stronger backing from influential Western political and diplomatic centers, while others rely on broader support from countries of the Global South. However, previous election practice has shown that no such support is sufficient without the agreement of all five permanent members of the Security Council.

The first informal round of voting will not determine who will succeed Antonio Guterres, but it will reveal the initial balance of support among the candidates and provide the first indications of which names may emerge as the basis for an international consensus. According to diplomatic sources at United Nations Headquarters, new consultations among Security Council members will begin immediately after the first round to assess the prospects for reaching agreement in subsequent rounds of voting.

For Serbia, it will be particularly important that the new Secretary-General preserve the Secretariat's established practice whereby all reports on Kosovo and Metohija are based on the mandate defined by Resolution 1244 and the work of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The Secretary-General is also responsible for the functioning of the Secretariat and the work of UNMIK, making the office's approach to the Mission's mandate directly relevant to the implementation of Resolution 1244.

For Belgrade, therefore, the decisive issue is not the country from which the future Secretary-General comes, nor the political or regional group to which the individual belongs, but whether they will consistently respect the UN Charter, Resolution 1244, and the mandate entrusted by the Security Council to the United Nations in Kosovo and Metohija.

The election is taking place at a time when the international order is undergoing profound changes. The war in Ukraine, the crisis in the Middle East, the growing influence of countries of the Global South, the strengthening of BRICS, and increasingly vocal calls for reform of international institutions make this one of the most politically significant Secretary-General elections in the recent history of the United Nations.

Under such circumstances, the future Secretary-General will face the task of restoring confidence in the multilateral system, advancing dialogue among the major powers, and preserving the authority of the United Nations as the central institution of the international order founded on the UN Charter.

For Serbia, the election of the next Secretary-General will also serve as an important indicator of whether the United Nations will continue in the coming years to insist on the consistent application of international law, or whether the political interests of major powers will exert greater influence over the functioning of international institutions. For this reason, Belgrade is following the Security Council's election process with particular attention, bearing in mind that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija continues to be considered within the United Nations on the basis of Resolution 1244.

At a time when the international order is changing rapidly, the election of the next Secretary-General will represent not only the selection of the world's leading diplomat, but also an indication of whether the United Nations will remain faithful to the principles on which it was founded and preserve the authority of international law amid increasingly pronounced geopolitical divisions. For Serbia, the answer to that question will be of direct importance, as the future Secretary-General's approach to the UN Charter, Resolution 1244, and the mandate of UNMIK will constitute one of the key measures of the office holder's impartiality and commitment to international law.