Eight Candidates in Race to Become Next UN Secretary-General

Eight candidates are competing to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. With major powers divided over the selection, observers say it is difficult to identify a clear frontrunner at this stage. However, Costa Rica’s former Vice President Rebecca Grynspan received the most support in the first round of informal voting. The AFP reported.

A candidate needs at least nine votes from the 15-member UN Security Council to be recommended for the position. The candidate must also avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, United Kingdom, China, France and Russia.

After selecting a candidate, the Security Council sends the name to the UN General Assembly for approval. As a result, the five permanent members of the Security Council have a major influence over who becomes the next UN chief.

The eight candidates are Rebecca Grynspan, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki, Ugandan politician Olara Otunnu and former Senegalese President Macky Sall.

Rebecca Grynspan

Grynspan, 70, a former vice president of Costa Rica, currently heads the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She has taken temporary leave from her position to campaign for the UN’s top post.

She played an important role in mediating the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which helped facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The daughter of Jewish parents, Grynspan has also highlighted her family history during her campaign. She has said her parents survived the Holocaust and later moved to Costa Rica.

Michelle Bachelet

Chilean socialist Michelle Bachelet was persecuted during the rule of former dictator Augusto Pinochet. In 2006, she became Chile’s first female president.

She later served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. During her tenure, the publication of a report on alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region led to tensions with Beijing.

Bachelet, 74, argues that the UN Secretary-General must provide moral leadership despite pressure from major powers. Mexico and Brazil have supported her candidacy, although Chile later withdrew its backing. The United States has also criticized Bachelet, particularly over her support for abortion rights.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa

Former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, 61, describes the UN as the world’s most important universal platform for addressing shared global challenges. However, she has also called for major reforms within the organization.

Espinosa, a former president of the UN General Assembly, has proposed establishing an early-warning system to identify signs of potential conflicts before they escalate.

Antigua and Barbuda supports her candidacy, while her own country, Ecuador, has not endorsed her.

Rafael Grossi

Argentine career diplomat Rafael Grossi, 65, has served as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2019.

His international profile has grown through his role in addressing Iran’s nuclear program and the crisis surrounding Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Although he is running for UN Secretary-General, Grossi has not resigned from his current position. He has said that leaving his post to campaign would amount to neglecting his responsibilities.

Some observers believe Grossi has a stronger position on UN reform than some of the other candidates. He also believes the Secretary-General should play a more active role.

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, 52, a former foreign minister of Guyana, currently serves as the country’s ambassador to the United Nations.

She believes the UN needs to restore its credibility on the global stage. She has emphasized that while the organization is often assessed primarily through the lens of peace and security, it also plays an important role in development and human rights.

Ivonne A-Baki

Ecuadorian diplomat and politician Ivonne A-Baki, 75, has served as Ecuador’s ambassador to the United States. She is also known for helping build close relations between Ecuador and US President Donald Trump.

Nominated by Tonga, A-Baki also has close ties with the Gulf region. She previously served as Ecuador’s ambassador to Qatar.

The daughter of Lebanese parents, A-Baki played a role in advancing dialogue between Ecuador and Peru following their 1995 border conflict.

Drawing on her experience of the devastation caused by war, she has said she is prepared to revive the UN Charter’s commitment to protecting future generations from war.

Macky Sall

At 64, Macky Sall is the only candidate from outside Latin America. Under the traditional regional rotation, Latin America is expected to have a strong chance of producing the next UN Secretary-General.

The former Senegalese president has emphasized the close relationship between peace and development.

Burundi, the current chair of the African Union, proposed his candidacy. Senegal also endorsed him earlier this week.

However, Sall has faced allegations of excessive use of force in suppressing violent political protests between 2021 and 2024. Senegalese authorities have said dozens of people were killed during the unrest.

Olara Otunnu

Ugandan politician Olara Otunnu, 75, served as UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict from 1997 to 2005.

He previously served as Uganda’s ambassador to the United Nations and briefly as the country’s foreign minister.

Otunnu was the presidential candidate of Uganda’s opposition Uganda People’s Congress in the 2011 election. He was defeated by long-serving President Yoweri Museveni.

Source: France 24