Sanctus – The Sanctarian Department of Foreign Affairs today confirmed they would be submitting Dr. Christian Ferguson, current Ombudsman and former Sanctarian Ambassador to the World Assembly, as their nominee to be the inaugural Secretary-General of the Consortium of Independent Nations. Dr. Ferguson will be put to a vote alongside any other nominees, with the individual receiving a majority of votes passing the necessary threshold for appointment.
Ferguson’s name was not expected, with most observers expecting the Divine Federation to propose their former Chancellor Charlene Hendry, or one of their former Foreign Secretaries, such as Yasminé Pontif or Brian Young. However with some Consortium members saying that the first Secretary-General shouldn’t be a career politician, it is understood ambitions by those individuals were put to rest. There were suggestions last week that Sanctaria, the largest country by population, area, and wealth, in the Consortium would instead propose current Ambassador to the World Assembly Dr. Bethany Greer as a non-political candidate, as she has decades of experience of diplomatic work, but sources in the department said she made it clear she was not interested.
It’s not yet known what other nominees will be put forward, with the first Consortium Governmental Conference taking place this weekend which will, among other items on their agenda, elect the Secretary-General. Munsteran’s government has said tonight they would support Ferguson’s nomination, while other governments available for comment said they would consider all nominations at the CGC before making a decision.
Speaking on his nomination, Dr. Ferguson said it was an “honour” to be nominated, and pointed to his three years in the World Assembly as a successful resolution author, writing four resolutions, and his subsequent decade as Ombudsman; Ferguson’s second, and final, five-year-term as Ombudsman is due to end at the end of February 2024. The Department of Foreign Affairs, in their press release tonight, pointed to Ferguson’s “diplomatic experience” as well as his “successful management of an independent agency holding government to account” as attributes in his favour that would qualify him to be Secretary-General. The decision will be made this Saturday, September 30th, at St. George’s Palace in Sanctus.
KIM TOWERS, Foreign Editor
