Lana Nusseibeh, a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, has entered the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general. The UAE formally nominated Nusseibeh, its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Envoy to the UN and European Union, on October 21. She served as the UAE’s permanent representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024. ALSO READ: Macky Sall withdraws from race for UN Secretary General She is the latest entrant in the contest to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31, 2026. Nusseibeh said the UN needs to become more effective in preventing conflicts, bringing opposing sides together and translating diplomatic commitments into practical results. “It’s clear that today we need a secretary-general that can recommit to the future of multilateralism and the future of the United Nations as a problem-solver rather than as a spectator to the world’s crises,” she said as she announced her candidacy on Thursday. In her vision statement, she said her experience working with governments that hold different positions had shown her what determined diplomacy can achieve, but warned that the gap between international promises and actual results was eroding trust in the UN. “I am standing to be Secretary-General because I believe this is a moment to act with greater urgency: to act earlier, bring people together across difference, and drive the work forward until it produces concrete results,” she said. Her proposed approach puts peace and security at the centre of her programme. She advocates quiet diplomacy, early intervention and practical agreements, including humanitarian access, prisoner exchanges and local truces. “I wish to offer myself to this office as I would serve it, speaking frankly with every government and answering to none,” she said. ALSO READ: Guterres: UN Security Council remains 'unjust' without permanent African seat Why her entry could change the race Nusseibeh’s candidacy comes after six rounds of informal Security Council polling failed to produce a candidate acceptable to all five permanent members: the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom. In the latest poll, held on October 16, former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan led with nine “encourage” votes, five “discourage” votes and one “no opinion” vote. Argentina’s Rafael Grossi and Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett each received eight “encourage” votes, six “discourage” votes and one “no opinion” vote. However, all candidates in that poll received at least two discouraging votes from permanent members, leaving the selection process without a consensus choice. Her candidacy also introduces a Middle Eastern and Gulf Arab contender into a race in which expectations have generally favoured Latin America and the Caribbean under the UN’s informal regional-rotation tradition. However, neither gender nor regional rotation is a formal requirement under the UN Charter. Seven candidates remain Nusseibeh joins six candidates still in the race: Grynspan, Rodrigues-Birkett, Grossi, Ecuador’s María Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki and Uganda’s Olara Otunnu. Former Senegalese president Macky Sall withdrew on October 17 after receiving 10 “discourage” votes in the October 16 poll. Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet had withdrawn in September. Under the selection process, the Security Council must recommend a candidate who receives at least nine votes from its 15 members and avoids a veto from any permanent member. The General Assembly then appoints the secretary-general following the Council’s recommendation.
