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The Elders' chair Santos: The next U.N. chief 'should be a woman'

Colombia's former president Juan Manuel Santos says his nation's peace process benefited from women leaders.

Then-President Juan Manuel Santos speaking at Washington in 2016.
Then-President Juan Manuel Santos speaking at Washington in 2016. (AN/U.S. Institute of Peace)
This interview with Juan Manuel Santos, first published by the International Peace Institute Global Observatory, is reprinted with permission and minor edits. Santos answers questions from IPI GO Senior Fellow and Head of Publications Albert Trithart about the future of multilateral cooperation, private diplomacy, and lessons from the Colombian peace process.

Juan Manuel Santos, former president of Colombia and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, serves as chair of The Elders, the London-based organization of independent global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007 to work for peace, justice, human rights, and a sustainable planet.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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