The race to choose the next UN Secretary-General: Who will succeed Guterres?
The race to select the tenth UN Secretary-General begins
The United Nations has officially announced the start of preliminary procedures for selecting Secretary-General , who is scheduled to assume his high office on January 1, 2027. This important international event follows the current Secretary-General, António Guterres of Portugal, whose second and final term ends on December 31, 2026. The international community is closely watching this momentous event given the pivotal role this position plays in maintaining international peace and security and coordinating global humanitarian efforts.
Historical context and importance of the position
The United Nations was founded in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II to prevent new devastating conflicts. Since then, nine Secretaries-General, all men, have led the organization, from Trygve Lie of Norway to prominent figures such as Dag Hammarskjöld and Kofi Annan, to Guterres. The Secretary-General is the world's chief administrative officer and top diplomat. The significance of this position lies in the Secretary-General's direct influence on the international stage; they have the authority to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that could threaten international peace and security, act as a neutral mediator in complex regional and international crises, and lead efforts toward sustainable development and addressing climate change.
List of prominent candidates so far
The UN organization explained that four prominent international figures have been nominated so far for this sensitive position, namely:
- Michelle Bachelet (Chile): Former President of Chile and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
- Rafael Grossi (Argentina): The current Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who plays a prominent role in managing global nuclear issues.
- Rebecca Greenspan (Costa Rica): Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
- Macky Sall (Senegal): Former Senegalese President and former President of the African Union.
Timetable and selection mechanism
According to Article 97 of the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly (comprising 193 member states) upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The actual process begins in November 2025 with invitations to member states to submit their candidates. The organization has set April 1, 2026, as the deadline for nominations. Following this, the candidates will participate in informal dialogue sessions at the General Assembly on April 21 and 22, 2026.
The crucial step involves the Security Council holding closed sessions in late July 2026 to assess the candidates. The winning candidate needs the support of a majority within the Council and, importantly, must not be vetoed by any of the five permanent members (the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom). Following this consensus, formal endorsement by the General Assembly is required later that year.
Unwritten rules and customs
The working mechanism requires that the candidate be nominated by at least one country; self-nomination is not permitted. Among the informal customary rules is the exclusion of citizens of the five permanent members of the Security Council from holding the position to ensure impartiality. While there is no formal policy of regional rotation, the practice has been to distribute the post among the continents. Currently, there are growing international calls, supported by numerous countries and civil society organizations, to select a woman to lead the organization for the first time in its eight-decade history. However, the final decision remains contingent on major political agreements within the Security Council.
