UNESCO Race Still Wide Open

LONDON—The contest to elect a new director-general of UNESCO is about to enter a period of international wheeling and dealing. The election could test the organization's ability to emerge from two years of disarray and indecision. No front-runner for the top post has appeared, although member states may nominate candidates through the end of this month. The 50-member Executive Board then must select a single candidate to propose to the General Conference in November. Director-General Amadou M'Bow of Senegal announced in November that he would not seek a third five-year term. His recent decision to bring suit against a French magazine that described him as a "megalomaniacal despot" has virtually removed all possibility of his staying in the post. The UNESCO contest will set the pace for a flurry of elections in the United Nations system. Political maneuverings and bargaining will determine by early next year who emerges at the helm of four other U.N. organizations—the Food and Agricultural Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization and the United Nations Environmental Program. Some of UNESCO's problems are related to the withdrawal within the past two years of the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore in response to what they perceived as an increasingly anti-Western bias. Those pullouts have reduced its budget by 30 percent. The names of several eminent politicians, including Pierre Trudeau of Canada and Gough Whitlam of Australia, have already been raised. Similarly, noted scientists such as Nobel laureate physicist Abdus Salam of Pakistan have been touted as "ideal" candidates. All appear to have fallen by the wayside, however. Ideally, whoever takes the post should satisfy several criteria. By U.N. tradition, it is Asia's turn to hold the $159,000-a-year post. Other qualities widely sought in a new leader are administrative skills, international standing, an academic rather than political background and the capacity to win back the United States and United Kingdom. "It is not simply a matter of where a person comes from," said one official at UNESCO headquarters in Paris who requested anonymity. "It's just as important where they have credibility. The eventual choice may well not be among those being mentioned now. There are no front-runners at this stage." The list of official nominees is now fairly small, but other names are constantly appearing. Pakistan Foreign Minister Fahavzada Yakub Khan has been put forward by his government. A military background makes it likely that his candidacy will be bargained away, however. Soedjakmoto, a native of Indonesia and the outgoing rector of the United Nations University in Tokyo, is also a declared candidate. As an Asian and an academic he would appear to have a strong case, but he is considered unlikely to receive the backing of the Japanese, who carry considerable clout. Canada also has not yet declared any allegiance. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, a previous U.N. high commissioner for refugees, has wide support, albeit as a stopgap measure. He is known to want the U.N. secretary-general post, but the current occupant, Perez de Cuellar, has recently agreed to another five-year term. The Pakistani-born prince has a reputation as a good organizer, has international stature, would be acceptable to the United States, and would qualify as an Asian. Doubts remain as to his acceptability in Moscow, however. Other candidates proposed so far include two who have worked within UNESCO. Federico Mayor Saragoza, formerly deputy director-general of UNESCO and Spanish education minister, has maintained a high international profile of late. A professor of biochemistry, he is one of the few scientists seeking the post. Finland's prime minister, Kalevi Sorsa, has also worked in the education sector of UNESCO. He is an academic and politician and is rumored to have the backing of the Soviet Union. But the selection of a European to oversee the reformation of UNESCO would upset Third World countries, which form a powerful voting bloc. The African states have not committed themselves, in part because they are eager to secure the top post at the FAO. The incumbent, Edouard Saouma of Lebanon, has been openly criticized and is unlikely to serve another term. The Organization of African Unity has proposed Moise Mensah, a former minister of agriculture in Benin, for the post. If the Africans fail to get the FAO position, they will have a strong voice in determining who succeeds M'Bow at UNESCO. Crump is a British freelance writer on development issues.

UNESCO Race Still Wide Open

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