Macky Sall, une voix pour rééquilibrer le monde (par Alpha Barry)
At a time when multilateralism is facing an unprecedented crisis of credibility, the next Secretary-General of the United Nations must be more than just an administrator: he must be an authority on dialogue, a conscience of balance, and a trusted partner. In this context, the candidacy of Macky Sall, former President of Senegal, deserves the utmost attention.
The world is not just experiencing an accumulation of crises. It is experiencing a crisis of confidence in the very mechanisms meant to prevent, contain, or resolve them.
Wars are taking hold. Geopolitical divisions are deepening. Multilateral institutions remain essential, but their political and moral authority is increasingly challenged. As tensions escalate, one thing becomes clear: the international system suffers less from a lack of structure than from a lack of trust.
It is in this spirit that the succession at the head of the United Nations must be considered.
The choice of the next Secretary-General cannot be reduced to a mere institutional mechanism. It constitutes one of the great political tests of our time: does the international community want to prolong the balances of yesterday, or finally give itself a leadership commensurate with the world as it has become?
In my view, the prospect of Macky Sall's candidacy deserves to be considered with the utmost seriousness.
Not out of convenience.
But with lucidity.
A rare profile for a world in chaos
Few profiles today combine, with such density, the qualities required to perform the function of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
What distinguishes a credible candidate at this level is not just experience in power. It is the ability to have traversed, in a single career, several dimensions of contemporary leadership: the running of the state, international discourse, crisis management, political negotiation, the defense of the interests of the Global South, and the ability to engage in dialogue with major powers without losing one's own autonomy.
It is precisely this rare combination that distinguishes Macky Sall.
Having myself held diplomatic responsibilities at the highest level, I had the privilege of witnessing his leadership firsthand in several African and international forums. I saw his ability to listen, persuade, and unite people. I also saw him champion African interests with a voice that resonated far beyond the continent.
Head of State of Senegal for twelve years, former President of the African Union, recognized interlocutor in major world forums, Macky Sall belongs to that uncommon category of leaders who have exercised national power while assuming a continental presence and a strong international stature.
And that is exactly what the United Nations will need in the years to come.
A voice that has resonated with the world's major imbalances
The future Secretary-General of the UN will need to be able to understand the major contemporary fractures in all their dimensions: economic, climatic, health, food, security and geopolitical.
What distinguishes Macky Sall is precisely his commitment to these major issues.
On debt and the financing of African economies, he consistently advocated for a fairer reform of the international financial architecture. In particular, he argued that the IMF's Special Drawing Rights could be used more effectively and equitably to support African public financing.
On climate change, he consistently reiterated that there can be no climate justice without financial justice, without funding for adaptation, without a just energy transition, and without recognizing the right to development of African countries. Even today, as President of the Global Adaptation Centre, he continues to defend this position with unwavering consistency.
On health issues, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed deep imbalances in global solidarity. At this time, Macky Sall has clearly advocated for equitable access to vaccines, health sovereignty, and strengthening African capacities for vaccine and pharmaceutical production.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, in 2022, as the then-Chairman of the African Union, he led the first African diplomatic efforts with a dual requirement: to defend dialogue and to secure supplies of cereals and fertilizers essential for Africa.
Her commitment also played a significant role in Africa's representation in global governance. The African Union's admission to the G20 in September 2023 marked a historic step forward, to which her advocacy provided decisive impetus.
On the Sahel and the fight against terrorism, Macky Sall has always advocated an approach based on solidarity, security, and an understanding of the root causes of instability. This commitment has also translated into concrete actions, notably through the support provided by Senegal and the WAEMU to the countries most affected by terrorism, as well as through sustained engagement within regional frameworks.
A mediator in a polarized world
One of the most serious threats facing the United Nations today is that of paralysis by polarization.
The next Secretary-General must be able to speak to everyone without being perceived as a partisan. He must be able to be heard in Washington without being disqualified in Beijing, respected in Brussels without losing credibility in Addis Ababa, and listened to in Moscow as well as Kyiv, in the capitals of the South as well as those of the North.
In other words, a mediator will be needed.
And it is precisely this quality of balance, restraint and dialogue that gives a candidacy like Macky Sall's its full significance.
Because it must also be clearly stated: Macky Sall has never only defended Africa. He has engaged in dialogue with the whole world — with major powers as well as emerging countries, with international financial institutions as well as regional organizations, with the North as well as the South.
This ability to deliver a message clearly in multiple settings simultaneously is now one of the most sought-after qualities for the United Nations.
A responsible candidacy
In light of the crises and challenges facing our world, it is undeniable that the UN remains indispensable. But it will only fully regain its strength if it regains its legitimacy.
Its next Secretary-General will therefore have to take a clear stance: to restore the credibility of multilateralism through more fairness, more coherence, more listening and more justice in taking into account the vulnerabilities of the world.
In the years to come, the United Nations will need a personality capable of understanding the world as it is, without giving up on the ideal of what it should be.
She will therefore need balanced leadership.
A word of responsibility.
From a trusted authority.
And it must be said clearly: today, few personalities present, with such coherence, such a complete career, such familiarity with the major issues of the world and such a proven ability to combine experience of the State, international credibility and a sense of dialogue.
That is why Macky Sall's candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations deserves to be pursued with seriousness, ambition and the sense of responsibility that our era demands.
The world needs a more influential UN.
The UN needs a stronger voice.
And this message, tomorrow, could come from Africa, carried by a voice of experience, balance and responsibility — a voice respected in the world: that of Macky Sall.
Alpha Barry, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Burkina Faso (January 2016 – December 2021)
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