Olara Otunnu gains ground in second UN Secretary-General straw poll

What the report says

Uganda’s UN Secretary-General candidate, Ambassador Olara Otunnu, improved his showing in the second informal Security Council straw poll, according to The Independent Uganda. The paper said he received five “encouraged” votes, up from two in the first round, while five members were “discouraged” and five gave no opinion. The results were relayed to Otunnu by the President of the Security Council.

The second ballot suggests some progress for Otunnu, but he remains behind several other contenders. The Independent Uganda reported that Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett led the field with eight encouraged votes, followed by Argentina’s Rafael Mariano Grossi and Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan with seven each, and Senegal’s Macky Sall with six. Otunnu’s total puts him ahead of some candidates, but not yet in a leading position.

The straw poll is an informal, non-binding step used by the Security Council to measure support before any formal recommendation. The Council has 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power, and a successful recommendation requires at least nine votes and no veto from a permanent member. The article said Uganda has stepped up campaigning after Otunnu’s nomination on July 24, when he became the seventh candidate in the race.

The Independent Uganda also noted Otunnu’s historical link to the process: he helped develop the informal straw-poll system while serving as Security Council president in 1981. The broader contest will continue through further consultations before the Council forwards a recommendation to the UN General Assembly.