UN launches hunt for next chief amid rising challenges

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff and Reuters, reported that the United Nations has begun the process of choosing a successor to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose decade in the role is nearing its end. The search is unfolding as the UN faces pressure over global conflicts, questions about its influence and demands for institutional reform.

According to the report, an initial informal vote by the 15-member UN Security Council on Thursday placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan ahead of the field, with 10 “encourage” votes. Former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett received nine such votes, while Rafael Grossi, the Argentine head of the UN nuclear watchdog, ranked third among seven contenders.

The early ballot was a non-binding “straw poll,” a private Security Council exercise in which members indicate whether they encourage, discourage or have no view on each candidate. Al Jazeera noted that several rounds are expected, and that backing from the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — is essential because they hold veto power.

Other named candidates include former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, who recently entered the contest. The report said more candidates may still join. Based on past selection processes, polling could run through the summer and possibly finish in late September or early October, though the timetable could slip if Security Council members fail to settle on a consensus choice.