The race to secure the top diplomatic post at the United Nations has taken a sharp turn as the United Arab Emirates formally nominated Lana Nusseibeh to lead the international organization, entering the contest just weeks after all seven existing candidates faced vetoes from permanent members of the Security Council, Infobae reported.
A Late Entry Amid Institutional Gridlock
Nusseibeh, currently serving as a minister of state in the UAE’s foreign ministry, brings extensive institutional experience to the table. She spent over a decade as her country’s permanent representative to the UN from September 2013 to April 2024, a tenure that included presiding over the Executive Board of UN Women in 2017 and copresiding over negotiations regarding Security Council reform between 2017 and 2019.
All seven candidates to lead the United Nations received a vote of "discourage," effectively a veto, from a permanent UN Security Council member in the latest informal poll, a diplomat said Friday.https://t.co/PyltDNaJEj pic.twitter.com/wVm5FbSTrV
If successful, she would break historical molds as the first woman to lead the organization and only the second individual of Arab origin to hold the post, following Egypt’s Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who served from 1992 to 1996.
The leadership contest has stalled following a series of informal straw polls. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly appoints the secretary general upon the recommendation of the Security Council. Fifteen members cast secret ballots indicating whether they encourage, discourage, or hold no opinion on each contender. A successful candidate must secure at least nine favorable votes without triggering a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom.
The Scramble Over Security Council Vetoes
During the sixth round of voting held in mid-October, the five permanent members utilized ballots that exposed a stark blockade against all active contenders. According to reports by PassBlue cited by Ex-Ante, every single candidate received at least one discouraging vote from permanent members, effectively halting their advancement.
Among those previously leading the pack, Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan secured the highest number of overall supporters with nine favorable votes in the latest informal ballot, yet she simultaneously picked up five opposing votes, including two from permanent members, as noted by Infobae. Grynspan recently defended her standing in a press conference in Costa Rica, asserting that her camp remains best positioned for the final stretch given her tally of positive support.
Other prominent contenders have faced similar roadblocks. Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Guyanese former Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett each garnered eight favorable votes alongside six negative marks during the October consultations, according to Ex-Ante. Meanwhile, former Senegalese President Macky Sall officially withdrew from the competition on October 17, explaining that his exit aimed to facilitate a path toward a consensus candidate within the Council.
The persistent stalemate has fueled speculation that the organization may need to look outside the current roster or consider an interim appointment if a successor cannot be agreed upon before the expiration of current Secretary-General António Guterres’s mandate on December 31. Historical precedent shows that the UN has relied on temporary leadership on three prior occasions—specifically under Gladwyn Jebb, David K. Owen, and U Thant.
The Ticking Clock Toward December
With just over two months remaining before Guterres steps down, diplomats face a tight schedule to find an acceptable successor. While the UAE hopes that Abu Dhabi’s established diplomatic ties with the five permanent powers will give Nusseibeh’s candidacy a viable path forward, her name has yet to be tested in a formal Security Council straw poll.
The next informal consultation is scheduled for October 23, 2026. While the United States envoy to the UN, Mike Waltz, emphasized that member states retain the sovereign right to introduce fresh contenders, the looming year-end deadline leaves little room for prolonged debate.
