Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Editor
THE race to succeed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is gathering momentum, with six candidates vying for the organisation’s top post ahead of the end of his second term in December.
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall, nominated by Burundi in its capacity as Chair of the African Union, is the only candidate from outside Latin America. His campaign centres on strengthening the link between peace, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.
Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett says restoring the credibility and effectiveness of the UN will be among her priorities if elected.
Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, who heads the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is advocating wide-ranging reforms to make the organisation more responsive to global challenges. She is also credited with helping broker the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative between Russia and Ukraine.
Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says the next Secretary-General must take a more proactive leadership role in addressing global security and governance challenges while advancing reforms within the UN system.
Former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister and former President of the United Nations General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa has proposed an early warning mechanism to identify and prevent emerging conflicts, alongside broader institutional reforms.
Former Chilean President and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, backed by Mexico and Brazil, says the Secretary-General must provide principled moral leadership and defend the UN Charter, even under pressure from major powers.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold its first informal straw poll on July 30 before recommending a candidate to the General Assembly.
To secure the nomination, a candidate must obtain at least nine votes in the 15-member Security Council and avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members.
The successful candidate will assume office on January 1, 2027, for a five-year term.
