The key facts
- Lana Nusseibah has been nominated by the UAE for the post of UN Secretary-General, according to the Wam agency
- António Guterres's term expires at the end of 2026
- The UN Security Council is deadlocked; polls show Rebeca Grynspan in the lead
The UAE's candidate
UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibah has entered the list of candidates for the post of the next UN Secretary-General. The UAE state agency Wam reported this on Wednesday. Nusseibah previously served as the country's Permanent Representative to the UN and led the delegation during the UAE's two-year membership on the Security Council.
Presidential endorsement
According to Wam, a letter sent to the UN Security Council on behalf of President Sheikh Mohamed highlighted 'Nusseibah's deep experience at the UN, her judgment in addressing current international challenges, and her experience of constructive work.'
Election context
The term of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, expires at the end of this year. Nusseibah joins a list of seven nominated candidates: Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana), Rafael Grossi (Argentina), Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica), Macky Sall (Senegal), Ivonne Baki and María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador), Michelle Bachelet (Chile) and Olara Otunnu (Uganda). None of them has yet received sufficient support from Security Council members. According to straw polls, Grynspan is in the lead. Against the backdrop of the deadlock, new candidates were expected to enter the race.
Historic significance
If elected, Nusseibah would become the first woman to hold the post of UN Secretary-General, the second Arab after the Egyptian Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and the first representative of a Gulf country in this position.
Nusseibah's career
Nusseibah was appointed UAE Ambassador to the UN in 2013. Before that, she worked at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs: she established the policy planning department and headed it for three years, led the working group of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) campaign, and also served as director of research and communications at the ministry of the Federal National Council. In mid-2024, she left the post of Ambassador to the UN, taking the position of Minister of State. Last month at the General Assembly in New York, she told The National: 'While this may indeed seem like an uncertain and challenging time, this is not a time to lose hope. This is not a time to lose optimism about the future. This is not a time to give up on diplomacy and a renewed commitment to multilateralism.'
