SIX CANDIDATES SET FOR LIVE DEBATE AS RACE FOR NEXT UN SECRETARY-GENERAL INTENSIFIES
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By; Aina Daniel
The six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General will participate in a televised debate on Thursday, just one week before the formal selection process begins for one of the world’s most influential diplomatic positions.
The 90-minute debate, scheduled to take place in the UN General Assembly Hall and broadcast by Bloomberg, will feature questions from diplomats, UN staff and civil society representatives as the candidates present their leadership vision for the global body.
The contenders are former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan, former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. They are all seeking to succeed outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, described the debate as a rare opportunity for the international community to assess the candidates’ priorities and plans for leading the organisation through one of its most challenging periods.
She stressed that, amid growing global divisions, the UN requires a leader with the integrity and vision to uphold the UN Charter while strengthening the organisation’s effectiveness across its core pillars of peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development.
The race comes at a time when the United Nations is grappling with financial constraints and declining confidence, with the administration of US President Donald Trump criticising the organisation for excessive spending, inefficiency and failing to achieve expected results.
While Washington has called for the UN to refocus on its core mandate of maintaining international peace and security, many member states continue to advocate equal attention to human rights and development.
Analysts say the campaign has been relatively subdued compared to the 2016 contest that produced Guterres as Secretary-General.
Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group noted that the current race lacks the intrigue of previous campaigns, with candidates appearing cautious to avoid alienating the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, all of whom hold veto power.
The candidates have already undergone extensive questioning by representatives of the UN’s 193 member states, with many emphasising institutional reforms and a more proactive role for the Secretary-General in global peace initiatives.
The Security Council is expected to hold its first confidential “straw poll” on July 30 to gauge support for the candidates. Additional rounds of voting will continue until a candidate secures at least nine votes without being vetoed by any of the Council’s five permanent members.
The successful nominee will then be recommended to the General Assembly for formal appointment and is expected to assume office on January 1, 2027.
Although Grossi is widely regarded as an early frontrunner, diplomats say the race remains open, with Grynspan and Rodrigues-Birkett also attracting considerable support. Speculation also persists that an unexpected candidate could still emerge before the final decision.
Many UN member states are pushing for Latin America to produce the next Secretary-General under the principle of regional rotation, while there is also growing momentum for the organisation to appoint its first-ever female leader.
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