Abu Dhabi, October 22:
The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated senior diplomat Lana Zaki Nusseibeh as its candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, adding a prominent Middle Eastern contender to the race to succeed António Guterres.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan submitted Nusseibeh’s nomination in a letter addressed to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, in accordance with the established procedures for selecting the organisation’s next chief.
In the nomination letter, the UAE president highlighted Nusseibeh’s extensive experience at the United Nations, her judgement in addressing international challenges and her record of constructive diplomatic engagement.
Nusseibeh, who currently serves as a UAE Minister of State, previously represented her country as Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024. During her tenure, she played a prominent role in multilateral diplomacy and worked on issues involving international peace and security, humanitarian assistance, sustainable development and reform of the UN system.
She served as a Vice-President of the UN General Assembly and President of the Executive Board of UN Women. She also co-chaired processes related to revitalising the General Assembly and reforming the Security Council. During the UAE’s 2022–2023 term as an elected member of the Security Council, she served twice as the council’s president.
Speaking about her candidacy, Nusseibeh said the United Nations needed to renew its role as an effective diplomatic problem-solver at a time of mounting international crises. She has argued that the organisation should work to bring countries together, prevent conflicts from escalating and deliver practical results through sustained diplomacy.
Her entry into the race comes as the Security Council continues to assess candidates through informal voting rounds, known as straw polls. Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan had emerged as a leading contender in the latest round, although candidates have faced opposition from permanent members of the council.
The five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — hold veto power over the council’s recommendation for the next secretary-general. A candidate must secure sufficient support in the 15-member Security Council without being vetoed by any permanent member.
The secretary-general is formally appointed by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.
Guterres’s second five-year term is scheduled to end on December 31, 2026, with the next secretary-general expected to take office on January 1, 2027.
If selected, Nusseibeh would become the second secretary-general from the Middle East, following Egypt’s Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and the first woman to lead the United Nations in its 80-year history.
Her nomination adds another candidate to an increasingly competitive selection process as member states debate the future direction of the UN amid geopolitical divisions, humanitarian crises and calls for institutional reform.
The final decision will depend on consultations and voting within the Security Council, followed by appointment by the General Assembly.
