Zénon Mukongo Ngay (Democratic Republic of the Congo/Security Council President) on the election of the next Secretary-General - Security Council Media Stakeout
Media Stakeouts
Date: 30 July 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/zh/asset/k17/k17npp9wft?lang=en
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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UNSC · Security Council President [0:02]:

Good afternoon. Hello. The first round of straw poll has taken place. The candidates will be informed of the results through their respective permanent representatives of nominating member states. The President of the General Assembly will also be informed that the straw poll has been conducted. I thank you very much.


Speaker 2 [0:34]:

Ambassador, is it possible for us to see a blank ballot? Can you show us what the ballot looks like? What does the straw poll look like visually?

I know you're not going to give us the numbers.


UNSC · Security Council President [0:46]:

No, I'm not going to give you the numbers. What I can say is that the straw poll has 2, 3 steps on the paper. You have encouraged, discouraged, and non-opinion. So you mark whatever you want to mark. And we have the results after going through all the members of the Security Council.


Speaker 4 [1:15]:

Mr. Ambassador, did the Security Council Did you decide when the next straw poll will take place?


UNSC · Security Council President [1:23]:

We did not decide today, but in the days to come we will know exactly. But that will be under the presidency of Denmark because we are going to conclude our presidency tomorrow. So you will know on time.


Speaker 6 [1:37]:

What is the rationale that the Security Council is not releasing the results? What's the thinking behind that?


UNSC · Security Council President [1:43]:

The thinking behind it is to keep everything closed, And we want transparency at the same time, efficiency, but we don't want speculations on that.


Speaker 8 [1:58]:

But you can't have it both ways. You can't say you want transparency and then not release the results.

Yeah, because that feeds speculation.


UNSC · Security Council President [2:05]:

But this is what the Security Council has decided. I'm just reporting. I'm just serving. I'm not the one who took the decision.


Speaker 10 [2:14]:

What's your view as a representative of your nation on the whole process?


UNSC · Security Council President [2:19]:

I cannot express my view as a representative of Democratic Republic of Congo. I'm acting here as the Security Council President.


Speaker 12 [2:27]:

How many rounds of voting went on today? Was it just one?


UNSC · Security Council President [2:30]:

How many rounds? Yes. Just one round.


Speaker 14 [2:32]:

How are the women candidates doing?


UNSC · Security Council President [2:35]:

Everybody is doing well. Thank you very much.