María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, former president of the United Nations General Assembly and Ecuadorian diplomat, has outlined her vision for UN reform and leadership amid growing concerns about the organisation’s financial and institutional challenges. Espinosa, who is among the candidates seeking to succeed António Guterres as secretary-general, emphasised the need for a more effective and impactful United Nations rather than solely focusing on its budgetary difficulties.

Speaking in Westminster, Espinosa acknowledged the significant financial arrears owed by two of the organisation’s largest funders, the United States and China, with the US reportedly over $4 billion behind in payments and China owing nearly half a billion dollars. She described the current situation as a “financial crisis,” but argued that the deeper issue facing the UN is one of legitimacy, authority, and tangible impact, rather than funding alone. “People want value for money,” she said, “they’re not saying, ‘We don’t want the UN.’”

Espinosa, 61, who has served in multiple high-level roles including Ecuador’s minister of defence and foreign affairs as well as the country’s first female permanent representative to the UN, spoke candidly about leadership qualities needed to guide the organisation in times of global uncertainty. She contrasted her own energetic approach to leadership with that of the current secretary-general, highlighting the physical and diplomatic agility required to address complex crises simultaneously across the globe. “The world of today requires a lot of physical energy,” she noted, adding that she draws motivation from a desire to transform the organisation.

Addressing structural reform, Espinosa agreed with calls for a “leaner” and more accountable UN, echoing views shared by the UK and other member states advocating for Security Council expansion. However, she stressed the need for impartiality and respect for the prerogative of member states to determine the details of reform.

Espinosa also highlighted her longstanding engagement with environmental and human rights issues, noting her five years working with indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. She intends to apply a holistic approach to challenges like deforestation, illegal mining, and trafficking, underscoring the interconnected nature of these threats. Reflecting her background as a published poet, Espinosa brought a unique perspective on leadership, suggesting that creativity and careful observation, traits nurtured in poetry, are valuable assets for navigating global diplomacy.

On sensitive matters such as the treatment of Uighur minorities in China, Espinosa avoided singling out specific issues, emphasizing instead a broad commitment to uphold human rights as a foundational UN mandate.

Espinosa’s tenure in foreign affairs included overseeing Ecuador’s controversial decision in 2018 to award citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who had been under asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. She recounted efforts to resolve diplomatic tensions with the United Kingdom, noting that Ecuador had sought to grant Assange diplomatic status, a move rejected by London, and described the situation as an inherited challenge handled with cooperation.

Looking toward international relations, Espinosa expressed a pragmatic approach to engaging with the United States on climate-related issues. While acknowledging some US skepticism about climate change, she emphasized addressing observable environmental phenomena such as droughts and extreme heat rather than becoming entangled in political debates over terminology. She also cited productive discussions with former US President Donald Trump during her term as General Assembly president, underscoring her willingness to collaborate with leaders dedicated to improving the UN.

As the UN prepares to select its tenth secretary-general, Espinosa positions herself as a dynamic and reform-oriented candidate, seeking to harness both her extensive diplomatic experience and her unique background to navigate the organisation through an era of transformation and challenge.