UAE nominates diplomat Lana Nusseibeh to be next UN chief

The race for the next U.N. Secretary-General is going to become interesting. It has a new contender that too a woman diplomat. The United Arab Emirates(UAE) has formally nominated one of its top diplomats, Lana Nusseibeh, as the next United Nations secretary-general, in a move that could break the ongoing deadlock in the election to replace Antonio Guterres. Nusseibeh’s nomination — submitted in a letter by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to the heads of the UN General Assembly and Security Council — came after six rounds of voting in the latter body failed to produce a candidate acceptable to all five permanent Security Council members. US President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly opposed all seven contenders to date. But Washington’s close relationship with the UAE, a country with which the other permanent members — Russia, China, Britain and France — also have strong working ties, may be enough to finally produce a consensus candidate. “I think ⁠it would be ​great if the next secretary-general is a woman, but I’m not running because I’m ​a woman; I’m running because I am stubbornly optimistic about the future of the United Nations and I believe we need someone who is relentless in the pursuit of diplomacy ​to open doors,” Lana Nusseibe said.

I am standing to be Secretary-General because I believe this is a moment to act with greater urgency: to act earlier, bring people together across difference, and drive the work forward until it produces concrete results. That is how we rebuild trust in the United Nations and ensure it delivers meaningful change for the people it exists to serve. My vision: https://t.co/G449B8vaTI

— Lana Nusseibeh (@Lana_Nusseibeh) October 22, 2026

Nusseibeh is currently serves as minister of state in the Emirati foreign ministry, and was the UAE’s ambassador to the UN from 2013 to 2024.  Nusseibeh’s late entry has opened the door to a fresh contest, with the possibility that a new candidate could help break the deadlock and produce a consensus candidate.The Secretary-General is appointed by the U.N. General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The Council has 15 members but the five permanent members — the U.S., China, Russia, France and the U.K. — hold veto power. A candidate can secure the required nine votes and still be vetoed by any one of these five countries.
The latest informal straw poll, held on 16th October, highlighted the problem. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan received nine votes encouraging her candidacy but two permanent members reportedly voted against her. Argentina’s Rafael Grossi and Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett also received two discouraging votes from the permanent members. These were not formal vetoes but they indicated that even the leading candidates faced significant opposition. Senegal’s Macky Sall has since withdrawn.
The 48-year-old may face pushback over allegations that the UAE has supported the Rapid Support Forces, which are accused of committing war crimes in Sudan. Abu Dhabi has denied the charges, which UN sanctions monitors have described as credible.If elected, she would become the first woman to serve as U.N. Secretary-General and the first from a Gulf nation. She would also become the second U.N. chief from the Arab world, following Egypt’s Boutros Boutros-Ghali.