Uganda: Ugandan Diplomat Joins Contest to Become Next UN Secretary General

What the report says

Ghanaian Times, in a report distributed by AllAfrica, said Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu has entered the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general. Uganda nominated Otunnu in a letter sent Friday to the presidents of the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council. The report described him as the seventh contender seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres, who has served two five-year terms and is due to step down at the end of the year.

Otunnu, 75, is a former U.N. under-secretary-general and previously served as special representative for children and armed conflict. According to the report, he is currently the oldest candidate in the field. In his vision statement, Otunnu emphasized continuing institutional reforms, prioritizing efforts to help end major international conflicts, creating a body to oversee U.N. work on artificial intelligence, and advancing climate action.

The other named contenders are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former foreign affairs and defence minister of Ecuador; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, a former foreign minister of Guyana; and Macky Sall, a former president of Senegal.

The selection process is expected to intensify with straw polls in the 15-member Security Council, though additional candidates may still enter. The report said diplomats see no clear frontrunner, while noting views that Latin America may be due to supply the next U.N. chief and support for appointing the first woman to the post. Any candidate must avoid a veto from the council’s five permanent members.