Srgjan Kerim

{{Short description|Macedonian diplomat (born 1948)}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2009}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Srgjan Kerim | native_name = {{nobold|Срѓан Керим}} | native_name_lang = mk | image = Dr. Srgjan Kerim (cropped).jpg | office = [[President of the United Nations General Assembly]] | term_start = 18 September 2007 | term_end = 16 September 2008 | predecessor = [[Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa]] | successor = [[Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann]] | office1 = [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Macedonia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] | prime_minister1 = [[Ljubčo Georgievski]] | term_start1 = 30 November 2000 | term_end1 = 13 May 2001 | successor1 = [[Ilinka Mitreva]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|12|12|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Skopje]], [[Socialist Republic of Macedonia|PR Macedonia]], [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|FPR Yugoslavia]] | death_date = | death_place = | party = [[Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity|VMRO-DPMNE]] | alma_mater = [[University of Belgrade]] | caption = Kerim in 2011 }} '''Srgjan Kerim''' ({{langx|mk|Срѓан Керим}}, {{IPA|mk|sr̩'ɟan kɛ'rim|pron}}; {{langx|tr|Sercan Kerim}}; born December 12, 1948) is a [[North Macedonia|Macedonian]] diplomat, economist, former Foreign Minister and President of the 62nd Session<ref>{{Cite web|title = UN General Assembly|url = https://www.un.org/ga/president/62/|website = www.un.org|accessdate = 2015-12-21|language = EN}}</ref> of the [[United Nations General Assembly]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22676&Cr=general&Cr1=assembly|title=Newly elected General Assembly President calls for greater multilateralism|date=24 May 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/ga10597.doc.htm |title=GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTS SRGJAN KERIM OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA AS PRESIDENT OF SIXTY-SECOND SESSION |website=www.un.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618174425/http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/ga10597.doc.htm |archive-date=2007-06-18}}</ref> His term of office began on September 18, 2007, and ended on September 16, 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=23853&Cr=general&Cr1=assembly|title=New General Assembly president calls for focus on priority issues|date=18 September 2007}}</ref> He is of [[Turks in North Macedonia|Macedonian Turkish]] descent.

==Education== Srgjan Kerim holds a Ph.D. in Economic Sciences from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/ga/president/62/presskit/president.shtml |title=UN General Assembly - President of the 62nd Session - H.E. Dr. Srgjan Kerim - Biography |website=www.un.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015032029/http://www.un.org/ga/president/62/presskit/president.shtml |archive-date=2007-10-15}}</ref>

==Career==

===Academic career=== Kerim’s academic career started in 1972 at the Faculty of Economics<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bg.ac.rs/en/members/faculties/FE.php |title=Faculty of Economics |access-date=2016-01-04 |archive-date=2023-12-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217094059/https://bg.ac.rs/en/members/faculties/FE.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> at the [[University of Belgrade]] as Assistant and later as Professor in the Department for International Economic Relations. He was also a visiting professor at the University of Hamburg (Germany) and at New York University.

In the course of the last decade he delivered over 100 lectures at international conferences on issues such as globalization, emerging markets, sustainable development, climate change etc. From 2011 until 2014 he was professor of International Economics and International Relations at [http://www.fon.edu.mk/ FON University] in Macedonia. He is currently teaching Development of Global Businesses at the [http://www.seeu.edu.mk/ South East European University in Macedonia].

===Political and diplomatic career=== {{BLP unreferenced section|date=August 2023}} Between 1976 and 1978 Kerim was a member of the Presidency of the Youth Federation of Yugoslavia and President of the Foreign Policy Committee. In 1986 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Economic Relations in the Government of the [[Socialist Republic of Macedonia]] and served in this position until 1989.

Kerim also represented North Macedonia as Ambassador to Germany (1994-2000), to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (1995-2000).

Kerim’s first duty related to [[multilateral diplomacy]] was as Advisor to the President of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD VI), held in 1983 in Belgrade.

From 1988 to 1991, he served as Deputy Minister and Spokesman of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in charge of multilateral affairs (including participation in the UN, G-77 and [[Non-Aligned Movement]] activities).

In 1990, he was part of the team responsible for preparation and participation at the first [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] conference on economic cooperation, held in Bonn. He also took part in the negotiations with EU (then EC) on the Association Agreement between Yugoslavia and EU (1989–91).

During his mandate as Macedonian Ambassador to Germany, he also served as Special Envoy of Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe (1999-2000).

From 2000 to 2001, Kerim was Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia. He then chaired the Southeastern European Cooperation Initiative (2000-2001). During this period North Macedonia signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.

He then became Ambassador and Permanent Representative of North Macedonia to the United Nations (2001-2003). He then served as Vice-chairman both of the International Conference on Financing for Development (Monterrey, 2002) and of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002). In addition, he was a member of the group of facilitators to the President of the Fifty-sixth UN General Assembly, focusing on UN reform, and was a co-organizer of the Regional Forum on Dialogue Among Civilizations (Ohrid, 2003).

Between 2008 and 2009, he was Special Envoy of the [[UN Secretary General on Climate Change]]. Since 2008, Kerim has been a member of the Council of Presidents of the [[United Nations General Assembly]].

From 2007 to 2008 Kerim was President of the 62nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UN President |url=https://www.un.org/ga/president/62/}}</ref> In his opening at the beginning of the 62nd Session, he outlined five priority issues:<ref>{{Cite web |title=UN |url=https://www.un.org/ga/president/62/statements/opening1809.shtml}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/19/content_6749987.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223162943/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-09/19/content_6749987.htm | archive-date=2015-12-23 | title=UN General Assembly opens with calls for multilateral action }}</ref>

"I have identified: climate change; financing for development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals; countering terrorism; and the reform agenda – to renewing the management, effectiveness and coherence of this organisation."

In July 2008, Kerim declared that it had been estimated that there would "be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Axel Bojanowski |title=UN Embarrassed by Forecast on Climate Refugees |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/feared-migration-hasn-t-happened-un-embarrassed-by-forecast-on-climate-refugees-a-757713.html |accessdate=13 March 2019 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |date=18 April 2011 |quote=In 2008, Srgjan Kerim, president of the UN General Assembly, said it had been estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BATTLE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE CALLS FOR 'WAR FOOTING', DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AS GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS FOLLOW-UP TO FEBRUARY THEMATIC DEBATE |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2008/ga10725.doc.htm |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=13 March 2019 |quote=more efforts than ever before must be exerted to enable poor countries to prepare for impacts because it had been estimated that there would be between 50 million and 200 million environmental migrants by 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2008/ga10725.doc.htm |title=BATTLE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE CALLS FOR 'WAR FOOTING', DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS AS GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS FOLLOW-UP TO FEBRUARY THEMATIC DEBATE | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases |website=www.un.org |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119141644/https://www.un.org/press/en/2008/ga10725.doc.htm |archive-date=19 January 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==United Nations Secretary-General selection== {{Main|United Nations Secretary-General selection, 2016}} Srgjan Kerim was nominated on 17 September 2015 by the Government of North Macedonia<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://srgjankerim.com/candidacy.nspx |title=Candidacy |access-date=2015-12-21 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222165911/http://srgjankerim.com/candidacy.nspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> and was the first candidate to officially put forward his name to be the next UN Secretary-General. He has thus far proposed the following priorities for the UN:

'''Priority 1: Democratic Governance and Reform of the UN'''

In terms of UN accountability for the [[2010 Haiti cholera outbreak|cholera outbreak in Haiti]], Kerim emphasized the importance of the UN maintaining its authority and reputation by providing full reparations to cholera victims. He skirted UN responsibility for the outbreak by citing lack of organization and issues on the ground in places where the UN provides Peacekeeping.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ipinst.org/2016/06/unsg-candidate-srgjan-kerim|title=UN Secretary-General Candidate Srgjan Kerim Speaks at IPI|date=16 June 2016|access-date=2016-06-27}}</ref>

On the topic of [[Child sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers|sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers]], the United States raised a question during UN Secretary General Candidate informal dialogues. Kerim responded to the question on ensuring transparency and accountability by saying that the future SG needs to be "stubborn and not let things go...If there is misunderstanding here and lack of trust here, you must be a trust-builder."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://webtv.un.org/search/srgjan-kerim-former-yugoslav-republic-of-macedonia-informal-dialogue-for-the-position-of-the-next-un-secretary-general/4846438948001?term=kerim|title = UN Web TV| date=27 June 2023 }}</ref>

37 human rights organizations recently endorsed a UN Secretary General accountability pledge. This pledge asks the candidates to take action on two human rights violations that have tarnished the United Nations' image: failing to provide remedies for victims of cholera in Haiti, and sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/7/27|title=UN Accountability Pledge|date=28 July 2016|access-date=5 August 2016|archive-date=3 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803232343/http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/7/27|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kerim sent a message, responding to Aids Free World and the [[Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti]], in which he expressed his "full support for [their] initiative in promoting greater transparency and accountability within the UN system".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/8/1|title=Candidates Respond to #TakeThePledge|date=5 August 2016|access-date=5 August 2016|archive-date=16 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816153114/http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/8/1|url-status=dead}}</ref> While he declined to sign onto the pledge, he did pledge to "continue striving for a stronger, more transparent, just, and accountable UN system."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/8/1|title=Candidates Respond to #TakeThePledge|date=5 August 2016|access-date=5 August 2016|archive-date=16 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816153114/http://www.codebluecampaign.com/press-releases/2016/8/1|url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Priority 2: Security'''

Kerim emphasized diplomatic dialogue and multilateral cooperation as central to addressing security, including counterterrorism.

'''Priority 3: Sustainable Development and Climate Change'''

Climate change is far more than just another environmental issue. It cuts across all sectors – energy, agriculture, security and trade. Climate change threatens markets, economies and developmental goals. It can deplete food and water supplies, provoke conflict and migration, destabilize fragile societies, and even topple governments. Is this mere exaggeration? Not to the hungry residents of northern Kenya or the increasingly careworn farmers of California. Not to the citizens of the Maldives, already wondering whether their homeland will be diminished by the ocean, or the millions of people living in the metropolitan areas. Not to the hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest who have little defense mechanism against the storms, floods and droughts that each year keep on intensifying in scope.

Addressing Climate Change and enhancement of Financing for Development (FfD) should always be among our top priorities. The nexus between these core issues is fundamental to implementing the post 2015 sustainable development agenda as an imperative for global cooperation and partnership.

'''Priority 4: Gender Equality, Education and Citizen Participation'''

Kerim called for proportional representation of women across political, social, economic, and cultural governance, and emphasized the connection between gender equality and education.

'''Priority 5: Migration'''

Kerim advocated for greater understanding of migration as a historical and ongoing global phenomenon.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Srgjan Kerim}} *[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7084264.stm Balkan diplomat seeks to open UN doors], BBC News, 8 November 2007

{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Aleksandar Dimitrov]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Macedonia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]|years=2000–2001}} {{s-aft|after=[[Ilinka Mitreva]]}} {{s-break}} {{s-intgov}} {{s-bef|before=[[Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[President of the United Nations General Assembly]]|years=2007–2008}} {{s-aft|after=[[Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann]]}} {{s-end}} {{Presidents of the UN General Assembly}} {{MFAM}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kerim, Srgjan}} [[Category:1948 births]] [[Category:Ambassadors of North Macedonia to Germany]] [[Category:Ambassadors of North Macedonia to Switzerland]] [[Category:Foreign ministers of North Macedonia]] [[Category:Government ministers of Yugoslavia]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Turks in Yugoslavia]] [[Category:Turks in North Macedonia]] [[Category:Diplomats from Skopje]] [[Category:Permanent representatives of North Macedonia to the United Nations]] [[Category:Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly]] [[Category:Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]] [[Category:University of Belgrade Faculty of Economics alumni]] [[Category:Academic staff of the University of Belgrade]] [[Category:Special envoys of the Secretary-General of the United Nations]]