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The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has proposed to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to take on an advisory role at the Organization, according to sources quoted by the German News Agency.
Guterres asked Merkel to chair a consultative body to be set up, headed by former heads of state or government, the sources explained. The council aims to identify global public goods and other areas of common interest where improvements in governance are needed and propose options on how they can be achieved. For example, the ozone layer is designated a global public good. The term may also apply to international regulations on flight safety, or trade."
According to dpa sources, Guterres made the proposal to Merkel directly. However, according to their assessment, the chances of the former chancellor accepting to take on this role are rather low. Apparently, the 67-year-old former head of the German government has not yet given her answer to the UN chief. Angela Merkel decided not to run with the conservative Christian Union (CDU/CSU) in the September elections and retired from German politics at the end of 2021 after 16 years in the chancellorship.
The advisory body formed on the recommendation of Mr Guterres is among his most important initiatives to reform the UN during his second term, which began in January. According to Mr Guterres, the pandemic of the new coronavirus has revealed that there are huge gaps in international cooperation. The council he is seeking to form hopes to give impetus to the effort to change practices and principles in terms of taking joint action on a global scale.
Source: CNA
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