NEW YORK — The process to select the next UN Secretary-General has begun, with five contenders currently vying for the position held by outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. All candidates have publicly shared their vision for the United Nations.

Journalist Alexander Casella, who previously served as head of the East Asia Section and later as director for Asia and Oceania at the UNHCR, stated, "The United Nations isn't as relevant as it used to be." Casella, who joined the organization in 1973 and spent 18 years as the International Center for Migration Policy Development's representative in Geneva, added, "The political UN as an instrument of collective security has become irrelevant." He cited current conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and various parts of Africa and Asia.

Casella expressed concerns about the candidates for Secretary-General. He stated, "It is clear from their statements that none has the least idea about what the job entails, what its constraints are or how it should be presented in the future." He said, "The first and fundamental requirement is to abolish the Security Council." He outlined an alternative structure, suggesting, "In its place, eight regional security committees should be set up — for the Americas, Africa, Europe (including Russia), the Middle East, Central Asia, Asia and Southeast Asia and the Pacific."

The UN Charter took effect on October 24, 1945. The UN Security Council consists of five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—and 10 members elected on a rotating basis. Decisions by the Security Council are subject to veto by any of its five permanent members. In 1950, the Security Council authorized the use of force to repel North Korea's invasion of South Korea. The United States invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003, without Security Council authorization.

The United Nations General Assembly includes all member states, but its votes are not binding. Member fees for the UN are determined by a formula that considers wealth. Currently, ten UN members contribute approximately 75% of the total membership fees, while the remaining 183 members together pay about 25%.