Former New Zealand PM Helen Clark wants to be next U.N. chief

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark speaks at a news conference at United Nations headquarters in New York, September 21, 2015. REUTERS/Mike Segar

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Monday she would campaign to be the next U.N. secretary-general, pledging to improve transparency and touting her leadership experience in a bid to become the first woman to head the world body.

New Zealand submitted a letter on Monday to the president of the 193-member General Assembly formally nominating Clark, who heads the U.N. Development Programme, as a candidate to succeed Ban Ki-moon as secretary-general.