Ugandan diplomat and United Nations Secretary-General candidate Olara Otunnu has called for urgent and systematic reforms of the world body, warning that its future effectiveness depends on a firm commitment to restructuring its institutions and making human rights protection non-selective.

Otunnu, who says human rights have been central to his political and public life since his early years in Uganda, argued that the issue should not be politicised and that, if elected Secretary-General, he would promote human rights in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter.

“Human rights is in my DNA. I cut my political teeth in Uganda. Human rights should not be politicised,” Otunnu said.

“As Secretary-General, I stand on the principles of the Charter. I would invoke those principles. I promote human rights, but do so in a manner which is completely non-selective.”

His remarks underscore a central theme of his leadership pitch: that the United Nations must apply its founding principles consistently, regardless of political interests or the identity of the countries involved.

Otunnu says UN reform is no longer optional

The former UN Under-Secretary-General also warned that reforming, reorganising and restructuring the organisation had become an urgent necessity rather than a matter of choice.

“Reforming, reorganising, restructuring the UN is no longer an optional choice. This is an imperative,” he said. “The UN is at some risk unless we address in a very systematic and serious way the issue of reform.”

Otunnu called for the UN80 reform process, launched to improve the organisation’s efficiency and effectiveness, to be deepened and broadened through a comprehensive review of the mandates and operations of agencies across the UN system.

He said the review should establish whether responsibilities overlap, whether mandates are rationalised and whether some entities should be merged to eliminate duplication and improve coordination.

“This will require a very systematic examination and assessment,” he said.

Calls for stronger leadership on reform

Otunnu argued that successful reform would require determination from both the Secretary-General and UN member states to implement agreed changes rather than allow reform proposals to remain on paper.

He said the objective should be to make the organisation more useful to people around the world, more efficient in its operations and more effective in delivering results.

“What we must do differently this time is to have the resolve at the level of both the Secretary-General and member states to carry through whatever reform measures we are able to,” he said.

Otunnu added that this was the kind of leadership he was offering for consideration by member states as they assess candidates to succeed António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31, 2026.

His proposals place institutional reform and consistent human rights protection among the key issues in his campaign to lead the United Nations at a time of mounting pressure for the organisation to respond more effectively to global conflicts, geopolitical divisions and humanitarian crises.

The next Secretary-General will be appointed by the UN General Assembly following a recommendation from the Security Council, where the five permanent members retain veto power.