American Amy Pope wins tough race to head UN migration agency

2023-05-15 21:28:43, Kosova & Bota CNA

European countries and the United States fielded rival candidates to head the United Nations' migration agency in an unusually tense race.

More than 100 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) seeks to ensure humane and orderly migration and intervenes where necessary.

On Monday, the 175 member states took part in the first round of secret ballots in closed-door meetings.

IOM Deputy Director Amy Pope, a former White House adviser backed by President Joe Biden, won the race with 98 votes, while the incumbent, António Vitorino of Portugal, received 67 votes.

The International Organization for Migration said Ms Pope will be the first woman to lead the organization when she begins her five-year term on October 1.

Ms. Pope announced her candidacy last year and took unpaid leave in March from the IOM to focus on the campaign. She shared photos on Twitter of meetings with officials around the world.

Ms Pope has pledged to proactively address the challenges of migration and harness the advantages it brings, while saying she will focus on its root causes.

António Vitorino, a former European commissioner close to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (both of whom are from Portugal) has highlighted the increase in the agency's annual budget as one of his successes.

Asked about the race, he admitted it was unprecedented.

"It has never happened that we have a general director in office facing one of his deputies. Let's call it innovation," Mr. Vitorino, who has held the post since 2018, told reporters in March. He said he had the support of Portugal as well as the "strong encouragement" of the European Union.

Asked how he felt before the vote at the International Conference Center in Geneva, Mr. Vitorino said: "I keep my feelings to myself."

According to IOM rules, the winning candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes of the member countries. Diplomats in Geneva have said that both candidates have expressed privately that they are confident of victory.

A diplomat joked that the secret ballot was a good idea to avoid angering Brussels or Washington./ VOA