Macky Sall meets Macron in Paris to boost UN Secretary-General bid
Former Senegalese president Macky Sall met with French president Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Monday, as part of his diplomatic tour to secure support for his candidacy to lead the United Nations.
The meeting, which did not appear on the official agenda of Mcron, was made public by Sall himself on Wednesday, when he posted a photo of the two leaders shaking hands on the grand staircase of the Élysée.
“I warmly thank President Macron for his warm welcome and our fruitful exchanges,” Sall wrote in French and English. “We share the vision of an ambitious, reformed, and revitalized UN to strengthen its effectiveness, representativeness, and ability to meet the expectations of peoples and states.”
Sall, who was heard by the General Assembly in April, has proposed reforming the UN around three principles: streamline, simplify, and optimize.
He is actively campaigning to succeed António Guterres as secretary-general. France’s backing, or at least its goodwill, would be a significant asset in the race.
