The United Nations will choose its next secretary-general this summer, with António Guterres set to leave office after two terms. Several candidates have entered the race to become the UN’s 10th chief, but the selection process remains shaped by negotiations among major powers.
The secretary-general serves as the UN’s top official, acting as both a diplomat and administrator. The role involves mediating international disputes, representing UN values, overseeing thousands of staff members and coordinating the work of UN agencies around the world.
The current secretary-general, António Guterres of Portugal, became the ninth person to hold the post and took office on 1 January 2017.
His second term ends on 31 December, with a new secretary-general expected to begin a five-year term on 1 January 2027.
Although the secretary-general cannot directly order military action or impose sanctions, the position carries significant diplomatic influence.
One of the key responsibilities is using the secretary-general’s “good offices”- diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing conflicts from escalating through negotiations and behind-the-scenes engagement.
The secretary-general must balance the interests of UN member states while also defending the organisation’s principles and speaking out on issues related to peace, human rights and international law.
Who are the candidates?
Several candidates are competing to become the next UN secretary-general, including diplomats and former leaders.
The 65-year-old Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was formally nominated by Argentina.
Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has pledged to rebuild trust in the organisation, while the secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica has highlighted the need for reform.
Former Senegalese president Macky Sall has also called for the UN to be “reformed, streamlined and modernised” to address global challenges.
The selection process begins with nominations from UN member states.
The UN Security Council then holds secret ballots, known as straw polls, to assess candidates. Council members can choose from the following options:
The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, the UK and France - play a decisive role because any one of them can block a candidate with a veto.
Once the Security Council agrees on a nominee, it recommends the candidate to the General Assembly, which formally approves the appointment.
The United Nations has taken steps to make the traditionally closed-door selection process more transparent. Under a General Assembly resolution adopted in September 2025, candidates are expected to provide vision statements when formally nominated and have the opportunity to present their priorities to member states.
The selection process will follow General Assembly resolutions and be guided by principles of transparency and inclusivity.
Read more:
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source wh...
Central Asia’s economy has surpassed $543 billion, driven by Kazakhstan’s economic weight, strong exports and foreign investment, while growing tr...
The United Nations refugee agency is planning a settlement and carpet-weaving workshop for Afghan returnees in Kabul as the country grapples with larg...
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for Iran to pay compensation for decades of deaths and damage, adding a new demand to peace talks as Tehran seeks compensation and sanctions relief before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
A criminal court in Damascus has sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia for premeditated murder, torture, arbitrary detention and crimes against humanity, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that Russia is preparing to deploy additional North Korean forces on its territory and has received more ballistic missiles from Pyongyang, arguing that their growing military cooperation poses a threat beyond Ukraine.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Ukraine has agreed to refrain from targeting certain tankers using Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk following a request from U.S. Vice President JD Vance, the Financial Times reported, although Kyiv has continued strikes on Russian targets at the port.
Taiwan has criticised a planned joint naval exercise involving China and Indonesia near its eastern waters, describing it as a politically charged move designed to strengthen Beijing's claims over areas surrounding the island.
An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk killed an eight-year-old child, injured others and damaged residential buildings, port infrastructure and grain facilities, Russian officials and industry sources said on Wednesday.
Romanian military divers have destroyed two Gerbera-type drones found drifting near the Neptun Deep offshore gas development in the country’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment