Our Man for UN Secretary General

"Since the UN established in 1946, no African has served as secretary general of the organisation. Ten or twenty years ago, this might have been understandable. African nations were too preoccupied with internal affairs to put up competent candidates for international jobs. The situation has changed in the last decade. Africa provides the biggest single regional bloc of nations at any international gathering. Africans have involved themselves in international service in virtually every aspect of UN work. In the person of Mr. Salim Salim of Tanzania, who is challenging Waldheim for the job of secretary general of the UN, Africa has a dynamic and competent candidate who has the support of the OAU, and the non-aligned nations (including OPEC countries) who constitute nearly two-thirds of the membership of the UN. As in all international affairs, Africa's turn has been slow in coming but it has come, and Africa experts the security council to recognize the will of the majority in this matter."