The Otunnu formula comes full circle

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reports that Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu is mounting an unexpected bid to become the next UN Secretary-General, creating an irony because he helped design the informal Security Council straw-ballot method now being used to test candidates. The article says Otunnu, who was Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN in the early 1980s and later served in several senior international roles, introduced the so-called “Otunnu Formula” in 1981 to gauge support for contenders in closed-door voting.

According to the report, Uganda formally nominated him on July 24, after other candidates had already been campaigning for months. The piece says his first straw poll was poor, with Otunnu receiving only two votes. His team argued that the result should not be seen as decisive because he entered the process late and had not yet met many of the voters. Ugandan officials have said he can still become competitive as campaigning continues.

The story says Otunnu and campaign lead Ruhakana Rugunda traveled to New York on August 8 to begin meetings with UN delegations. It also notes that his candidacy has drawn attention because the UN is dealing with major global crises, including wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, alongside broader issues such as climate change and development finance. The article frames the bid as a test of whether an experienced UN insider can still win support in a more divided diplomatic environment.