Uganda has officially nominated former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former United Nations official Olara Otunnu as its candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, whose next term begins in January 2027. In a statement issued on Sunday, July 26, Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Otunnu’s nomination had been formally submitted to the UN, describing him as a statesman with more than four decades of experience in international diplomacy, government, academia and peacebuilding. ALSO READ: Macky Sall pledges to restore trust in UN if elected as Secretary-General The East African nation’s endorsement comes ahead of the expiry of the second five-year term of the current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on December 31, 2026. According to the ministry, Otunnu previously served as the UN Under-Secretary-General and the first Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict between 1998 and 2005, where he led global efforts to strengthen the protection of children affected by war. Otunnu served as Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1986 and was a member of the National Consultative Council during the country’s transition following the fall of Idi Amin’s regime. Otunnu becomes the seventh officially declared candidate in the race to lead the 193-member world body and the second African contender after former Senegalese President Macky Sall. Other candidates are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana. The Ugandan foreign ministry also highlighted Otunnu's earlier role as the country's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN from 1980 to 1985. During Uganda’s presidency of the UN Security Council in December 1981, he introduced the straw-balloting procedure used in selecting the UN Secretary-General, a process later known as the “Otunnu Formula.” Beyond government service, he headed the International Peace Academy, now the International Peace Institute, from 1990 to 1998 and has taught at institutions including Albany Law School, the American University in Paris and the Institut Français des Relations Internationales. ALSO READ: Senegal backs Macky Sall's bid for UN Secretary-General The Ugandan government said Otunnu’s work in advancing peace and human rights has earned him several international honours, including the Sydney Peace Prize, the German Africa Prize and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association Award. Otunnu holds a degree in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. He is fluent in English, French and Luo. The Ugandan government said his experience across the UN system, national leadership and grassroots peacebuilding positions him to lead the world body “at this critical juncture in global affairs” and called on UN member states to support his candidacy.
