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UN Security Council begins selection process for next chief
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Elections & Politics

UN Security Council begins selection process for next chief

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The UN Security Council has begun the selection process for the next secretary-general, holding an initial straw poll.
  • Seven candidates, including four women and three men, are vying to succeed Antonio Guterres, whose term ends December 31, 2026.
  • The process is complex, with the five permanent members of the Security Council holding veto power, and no clear frontrunner has emerged.

The United Nations Security Council has initiated the crucial process of selecting its next secretary-general, commencing with a "straw poll" to gauge support for the seven individuals in contention. The role, a high-profile global statesman position, will be filled by a successor to Antonio Guterres, who concludes his second five-year term at the end of 2026.

It's an important start to the process. It's important (we) select the best candidate.

— Asim AhmadPakistan's ambassador to the UN, arriving for the selection gathering.

Among the candidates are Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Olara Otunnu of Uganda, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, and Macky Sall of Senegal. While Grossi, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, possesses significant name recognition, observers suggest no single candidate has yet established a clear lead in what is expected to be a lengthy selection process.

Your guess is as interesting as mine.

— senior diplomatAt the UN, commenting on the unpredictable nature of the race.

Diplomats acknowledge the difficulty in predicting the outcome, particularly given the influence of the five permanent Security Council members, the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom, who have yet to reveal their preferences. A candidate must secure at least nine votes from the 15 council members and avoid a veto from any of the major powers. The General Assembly will then confirm the chosen candidate.

The straw polls may show that some candidates are just not viable, and allow them to bow out in a dignified manner.

— Richard GowanOf the International Crisis Group, speaking to AFP about the straw poll process.

The Security Council's 15 members are meeting privately to conduct the first straw poll, an informal mechanism designed to break deadlocks. This method, though facing criticism for its opacity, has persisted. In this initial round, all ballots are identical. However, after an unspecified number of votes, the ballots of the permanent members will be distinguishable, allowing for the identification of potential vetoes without revealing specific countries' choices. This system aims to allow candidates without sufficient support to withdraw gracefully.

I would be surprised if any one candidate emerges with a decisive numerical advantage.

— Richard GowanOf the International Crisis Group, speaking to AFP about the straw poll process.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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