Seven Candidates Vie for Next UN Secretary-General Position

Uganda has officially nominated diplomat Olara Otunnu to compete for the role of the next United Nations Secretary-General, aiming to succeed the current Portuguese incumbent António Guterres, whose second term ends later this year.

According to a letter sent by Uganda to the presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council, Otunnu has become the seventh official candidate in the contest to lead the international organization.

At 75 years old, Otunnu is the oldest contender and brings extensive experience within the United Nations system, having served as Under-Secretary-General and as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.

In his vision statement for the role, Otunnu pledged to continue reforming UN institutions, prioritizing the resolution of major international conflicts. He also called for the establishment of a UN body to oversee artificial intelligence activities and emphasized addressing climate change without compromising economic development.

With Otunnu’s nomination, the official list of candidates now includes seven individuals: Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan; former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa; former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; former Senegalese President Macky Sall; and Olara Otunnu.

Informal voting rounds within the 15-member Security Council are scheduled to begin this week, aiming to narrow down the candidates before reaching a consensus on a single nominee to present to the General Assembly for approval.

The nomination period remains open, allowing additional candidates to enter the race in the coming weeks.

Diplomats note that no candidate has emerged as a clear frontrunner so far. Discussions are increasing around the possibility of Latin America holding the position this time, alongside calls for the appointment of the first female UN Secretary-General.

A critical factor in selecting the Secretary-General remains the candidate’s ability to avoid a veto from any of the five permanent Security Council members—the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—before the General Assembly formally endorses the nominee.