Candidates to Lead the United Nations Pitch Rescue Plans for an Organization in Crisis

The six candidates competing to lead the United Nations emphasized restoring the credibility of an organization in crisis during a restrained debate, according to the South China Morning Post. The exchange took place a week before the selection process formally begins, and the paper reported that the campaign has struggled to generate enthusiasm.

The contest unfolds as the body's authority is questioned on several fronts at once, from a Gulf war that its members have not halted to sanctions that keep an international prosecutor from its New York headquarters. The next leader will inherit an institution whose ability to shape outcomes is in doubt.

The muted tone of the debate reflects the difficulty of the moment. Restoring credibility is easier to promise than to deliver when the organization's most powerful members are often at odds over the crises it is meant to address.