Who will succeed Antonio Guterres as Secretary-General of the United Nations? This week, the four candidates will be heard by the ambassadors of the organization's member countries.
Former president Macky Sall, far from being unanimously supported, is among the contenders for the position.
The man who led Senegal from 2012 to 2024 and subsequently served as the Paris Pact's Special Envoy for People and Planet was nominated by Burundi, but his country of origin, Senegal, informed the African Union that it did not support his candidacy. The regional organization, which comprises 55 African countries, also withheld its support.
Other candidates in the running include:
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights after holding two non-consecutive terms as Chilean president, was initially nominated by Chile, Brazil, and Mexico. However, following the March election of Chilean far-right leader José Antonio Kast, his government withdrew its support for Bachelet, a left-leaning figure, although she remains a candidate thanks to nominations from Brazil and Mexico.
- The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Argentinian Rafael Mariano Grossi, 65, a former Argentinian diplomat and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2019, was appointed by his country of origin.
- and the WTO Director-General, Rebeca Grynspan, 70, former Vice-President of Costa Rica, has been Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) since 2021 and was also nominated by her country.
A fifth candidate, Argentine diplomat Virginia Gamba, former United Nations representative for children in armed conflict, was nominated by the Maldives, but this Indian Ocean country withdrew its candidacy at the end of March without giving a reason.
Although there are only two candidates, pressure continues to mount for a woman to become Secretary-General, particularly from Guterres, who has strived to achieve gender equality within his administration. Britain and France have also stated their desire to see a woman at the helm of the organization.
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet—one of two women and one of three candidates from Latin America—will be the first to address the ambassadors of the 193 UN member states during a three-hour question-and-answer session on Tuesday. She will be followed by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Argentina's Rafael Mariano Grossi.
On Wednesday, WTO Director-General Rebeca Grynspan will take center stage in the General Assembly Hall, followed by former Senegalese President Macky Sall.
The next Secretary-General will take office on January 1, 2027.
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