The key facts

  • Uzbekistan has supported the UAE's nomination of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh for the post of UN Secretary-General
  • António Guterres's mandate expires at the end of 2026, and the new UN chief will take office on January 1, 2027
  • Earlier, the UN Security Council failed to reach agreement on a candidate for the post

Tashkent's official position

Uzbekistan has supported the decision of the United Arab Emirates to nominate the country's Minister of State and former Permanent Representative to the UN, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, as a candidate for the post of Secretary-General of the organization. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan in its statement, which Kun.uz cites. The ministry emphasized that the process of appointing a new head of the UN, amid mounting global challenges, is of particular importance for strengthening the organization's authority and enhancing the effectiveness of its work.

Requirements for the future Secretary-General

The Foreign Ministry's statement says that the new UN Secretary-General must possess high professional expertise and extensive diplomatic experience as well as the ability to unite the efforts of member states in preserving international peace and security and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Election context and procedure

The mandate of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, expires at the end of 2026, and the new head of the organization is to take office on January 1, 2027. The Secretary-General is elected for a five-year term with the possibility of re-election for one more term; under the UN Charter, he or she is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. It was previously reported that the UN Security Council failed to reach agreement on a candidate for the new Secretary-General — Kun.uz wrote about this on October 17, 2026.

Why this matters

Tashkent's support for Nusseibeh's candidacy shows that Uzbekistan is openly stating its preferences at a stage when the Security Council, according to Kun.uz, has not yet reached consensus. For readers, this means that the process of selecting the new head of the UN remains open, and the final decision will depend on consensus in the Security Council and subsequent appointment by the General Assembly. The final outcome is still unknown: sources do not report on other nominated candidates or the results of further consultations.