Ivonne A-Baki, candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General following her interactive dialogue - Media Stakeout

Thank you. Please, Ambassador Tonga.

Good afternoon, everybody. My name is Viliame Vainga-Tone. I am the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations. I'm very honored today to introduce my good friend, Ambassador Yvonne A. Baki, to be here today. Earlier this week, the government of the Kingdom of Tonga had the good pleasure, profound privilege of formally nominating Ambassador Baki to be the position of the UN Secretary General. We also did this because we believe she possesses the experience, diplomatic skill and integrity to lead a renewal of the United Nations to enable it to advance the purposes and principles enshrined in the charter, which are peace and security, development, and the human rights. Ambassador Baqi, the podium is yours.

Thank you, Ambassador. Thank you, everyone. First of all, I want to thank you, Ambassador Tong, and I want to thank the Kingdom of Tonga, the King of Tonga, the Prime Minister of Tonga. And I am here all yours. It's been a long day. We've been presenting at the General Assembly, and also I may have a meeting with the Security Council. So any questions, I'm here.

From Al Jazeera English. I know it's been a long day, but my question is -- thanks for doing this.

Yes.

My question is, what have your conversations been with the United States? I know you have close contacts, having formerly been the Ecuador's ambassador here to this country. In recent weeks, what have been your conversations, either with the mission or with Washington, in terms of running for this position?

Well, I've had conversations with everyone. I have conversations with the United States. I have conversations with Ecuador, my country too. I have conversations with Lebanon, my other country too. I've had conversations with everyone, and that's my style of being. I talk with everyone, and I'm looking forward for everyone to support me.

Has the United States told you they'll support you?

The United States is not choosing any candidate, and I don't expect for them to say anything. Thank you.

But the United States does select a candidate, so what is their response to your candidacy?

I didn't hear. I could not hear.

The United States does select a candidate, one of, you know, 15 members.

They chose the right candidate.

No. I'm just wondering what they said to you about your candidacy. Washington.

I was ambassador in Washington. I was ambassador in Washington. I've been twice ambassador in Washington, so I know Washington very well. I've been with many presidents in Washington. I've been more than 10 years as ambassador there, so I know everyone. And I know a lot of presidents from all over. I've been with more than 12 presidents in Ecuador. So I've been representing Ecuador for more than three decades in different positions, and I've been representing Ecuador as a diplomat also. in different countries around the world. I was ambassador in Qatar covering seven Middle Eastern countries. And the last position I had was just in France and Monaco. And then I came back and now I am candidate for Secretary General for United Nations because I believe that to make peace in the world we need the UN. It's done. Ambassador Rafiq -- My dear.

Thank you.

Bilal Hajj from Al-Arabiya.

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Thank you so much. As you mentioned that you'll be on the ground on the ground.

On the ground in the war zone.

Exactly, I will.

Will you travel to Gaza?

Absolutely, I will travel to everywhere. I was living in Lebanon during the war. I was there in Lebanon for more than 20 years under the bombs. My children were born under the bombs and the music for my children to sleep were the bombs. I'm doing this because I believe in peace for the generations to come and for present generations too. So I will be there.

On Ukraine, what is your strategy to solve this crisis?

On Ukraine? On Ukraine? Ukraine crisis. Ukraine crisis. Ukraine. Ukraine. So much Ukraine crisis. Ukraine. Okay. I'm sorry, in English. Oh, I'm sorry. No, you know, I believe that, of course, all wars have a reason. But once UN couldn't prevent the war, because it could possible to prevent it, we have to find a solution that doesn't take much time. And I think it took enough time and people are dying. And this is the thing that we have to think about. What more? When is enough? So we need to find a solution that is good for both countries. I will not say more than that now. But the UN can do. Yes.

Hi, this is Eric Peters with Kyoto News Agency.

That Eric.

Eric Peters with Kyoto News Agency. It's a Japanese news agency.

Oh.

I want to ask about the ICC. So the U.S. has recently announced sanctions against the ICC, including the President, Tomoko Akane. What is your position on that, and that the ICC has meetings in the headquarters here in New York every year. Do you plan to facilitate those meetings? Thank you.

I will not say anything about the ICC. That's a position of the United States, and I'm not going to mention what I believe now. Anyone else?

You lived in Lebanon. Did you visit much of Palestine or Gaza?

I'm from Lebanon, so I've been in Lebanon. I didn't visit Palestine or Gaza, I didn't. And I didn't visit Israel. I mean, I didn't visit any one of those. But if I become Secretary-General, I will visit all of them. Thank you. Any more? Thank you very much. Thank you. Have a great day.