Bulgaria's Georgieva shakes up United Nations general-secretary race

The European Union's budget commissioner and the last-minute candidate for the United Nations secretary-general Kristalina Georgieva said she has strong credentials to lead the UN and is as ready as any other candidate who has been in the race for months. 

Gerogieva was a last-minute entrant in the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms. 

Bulgaria on Wednesday switched its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race. 

"I hope to be judged on merits, not on the duration on the campaign trail," Georgieva told AFP in an interview on Friday.

"I'm a latecomer not by choice, but by necessity. The Bulgarian government has invited me to join the race now," said Georgieva. 

Georgieva will go before the UN General Assembly for a two-hour question-and-answer session on Monday.

Giorgieva emphasised on the importance of having a woman security general for a job that has been represented by eight men. 

Georgieva rose to the ranks of vice-president and corporate secretary in 2008 in the World Bank. She also held the position of European Commissioner for humanitarian aid from 2010 to 2014. A media-savvy person, she even mobilised Europeans to respond to world humanitarian crises including in Syria and Yemen. 

(WION with inputs from AFP)