Rebecca Greenspan Maintains Lead in UN Secretary-General Race as UAEs Lana Nusseibeh Falls Short

New York, October 31 (Daily Kiran) : Rebecca Greenspan, head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is solidifying her lead in the race for the next UN Secretary-General. In the latest informal voting held by UN Security Council members on Friday, Greenspan received two more positive votes than in the previous round, totaling 11 votes in her favor while opposition dropped to four. This marks an improvement from the last vote, where she had nine supporters and five against her. Greenspan has consistently ranked first in six of the seven voting rounds.

The recent ballot did not clarify whether any of the four votes against Greenspan came from permanent member countries, as the ballots were not color-coded this time. In the previous round, two of the five opposing votes came from permanent members, which poses a significant hurdle for any candidate.

Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, received seven votes in her initial voting attempt, with six against and two neutral votes. She placed fourth among the candidates. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, secured second place with nine votes in favor, four against, and two neutral. Former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett came in third with eight positive votes, six negative, and one neutral.

During the voting process, Security Council members express their opinions in three ways: “Encourage,” “Discourage,” and “No Opinion,” which correspond to positive, negative, and neutral votes, respectively. Aglaia Balta, Greece’s permanent representative and president of the Security Council for October, oversaw the voting but did not formally announce the results. However, media outlets connected to the UN, such as PassBlue and 1for8billion, reported the outcomes.

Current UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s second five-year term ends on December 31 this year, creating urgency in the selection of his successor. Balta expressed confidence that the Security Council would submit its recommendations to the General Assembly in a timely manner, allowing for a smooth transition for the new Secretary-General.

Next month, Latvia will assume the presidency of the Security Council and will be responsible for advancing the selection process. The Council plays a crucial role in this selection, requiring a candidate to secure the support of at least nine members while not facing opposition from any of the five permanent members, which include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. After the Council’s recommendation, the UN General Assembly, comprised of 193 member countries, typically approves the appointment.

Currently, Council members are engaged in discussions behind closed doors to reduce differences among candidates and reach a consensus on a single name. The decrease in negative votes for Greenspan and the increase in support for Grossi are viewed as positive signs of progress in these discussions.

Following the voting on Friday, Greenspan took to social media platform X, stating that the world is at a pivotal moment that necessitates a united and modern United Nations. She reiterated her commitment to listening to all sides, advancing necessary reforms, and achieving shared goals of peace and security.

There is also a growing demand for the selection of a female candidate for the Secretary-General position. In over 80 years of UN history, nine men have held this role, with no woman having yet been appointed.

Additionally, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is advocating for a Secretary-General from their region. The last representative from this area, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, completed his term in 1991, marking a 35-year absence of representation from Latin America at the UN’s highest position.

CELAC representatives addressed the media outside the Security Council on Tuesday, emphasizing the need for a citizen from their region to take on the Secretary-General’s responsibilities. Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Uruguay’s permanent representative, stated, “It is time for a citizen from Latin America and the Caribbean to assume the role of UN Secretary-General. This requires strengthening the principles of regional balance and diversity in leadership.”

She noted that the region has produced capable and competitive candidates who possess the qualities necessary to lead the organization and have been validated through extensive public scrutiny. According to her, candidates from this region have consistently garnered the strongest support in the informal voting rounds.

Except for one instance, where Uganda’s former foreign minister and former UN Under-Secretary-General Olara Otunnu ranked third, the top three candidates in the voting have all hailed from Latin America and the Caribbean. In the recent voting, Otunnu received four positive votes and 11 negative ones, while former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister and ex-President of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa garnered two positive and ten negative votes. Former U.S. ambassador to Ecuador, Ivonne A-Baki, received just one positive and 14 negative votes.