(VOVworld) - The UN General Assembly voted unanimously on Saturday to make the largely secretive selection of the UN Secretary General more open and transparent.

UN Headquarters, New York (Photo: telegraph.co.uk)

The resolution adopted by consensus will allow the world body's 193 member states for the first time to see basic information about all candidates to replace Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the start of 2017, including their resumes. They will also have the chance to meet and question candidates. The selection of Ban's successor will take place next year and the resolution stresses the need for "gender and geographical balance while meeting the highest possible requirements." But the new resolution does not change the tradition that the UN Security Council will select and nominate the final candidate to the UN General Assembly which will officially appoint the UN Secretary General without voting.