Friday, September 22 2006 14:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Afghanistan has announced the nomination of former finance minister Ashraf Ghani as its candidate for the next secretary-general of the United Nations. "The Afghan Government believes that Ghani is uniquely equipped to lead the United Nations at a time when imagination and leadership are required in both security and development," said a government press release Thursday. With experience at the frontlines of conflict and poverty, Ghani stands at the intersection of Islam and the West with the capacity to bring the world together at a time of growing religious and geographical tension, said the statement. Ghani, currently chancellor of Kabul University, has served as Afghanistan's finance minister. Before that he worked for the World Bank in Asia, spending 10 years working in China, India and Russia.

"He is therefore particularly sensitive to the opportunities presented by the world's emerging economies," it said. The Afghan government encourages members of the UN to support Ghani's nomination to become the next secretary-general, the release added.

According to the UN's traditions, the selection of a new leader follows the principle of rotation between continents, with Asia expected to provide the next head of the organisation. The other five candidates from Asia include South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon, Sri Lanka's presidential advisor Jayantha Dhanapala, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, Jordan's UN Ambassador Prince Zeid al-Hussein, and India's Shashi Tharoor, the current UN undersecretary-general for public affairs.