31 October 2026,
Saturday
31 October 2026,
Saturday
Rebeca Grynspan (Photo: IANS)
Rebeca Grynspan, head of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has maintained her lead in the race to become the next UN Secretary-General. In the seventh informal vote among UN Security Council members on Friday, she received two more positive votes than in the previous round. Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, could not gain any notable lead in her very first test.
Grynspan Gets 11 Votes in This Round
Grynspan, from Costa Rica, received 11 votes in this round, while the votes against her fell to four. In the previous round, she had received nine votes in favour and five against. She has improved her position somewhat and is still ahead in the race. She has topped six of the seven rounds of voting.
However, it could not be made clear in this round whether any of the four votes against Grynspan came from a permanent member of the Council. This is because, unlike in the sixth round, the ballot papers were not marked in different colours this time. In the previous round, she had received five votes against, including two from permanent members of the Security Council.
Lana Nusseibeh Gets Seven Votes in First Vote
Nusseibeh, who was declared the UAE's candidate last week, received seven votes in her first vote. Six votes were cast against her and two were neutral. She finished fourth among all candidates. Ahead of her were Rafael Grossi of Argentina, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in second place, and Guyana's former foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in third.
Aglaia Balta, Greece's permanent representative, who was president of the Security Council for October, oversaw the voting. She did not formally announce the results. However, the results were disclosed by PassBlue and 1For8billion, media organisations that publish UN-related news.
António Guterres's Second Term Will End on December 31
UN Secretary-General António Guterres's second five-year term ends on 31 December this year. Time is therefore running out fast for selecting the new Secretary-General. Balta expressed confidence that the Security Council would send its recommendation to the General Assembly in time, so that the new Secretary-General gets enough time to prepare to take charge.
She said the Council plans to send its recommendation at the appropriate time so that the General Assembly can complete the appointment process on schedule. Next month, Latvia will take over the presidency of the Security Council and will be responsible for taking the selection process forward.
How Is the New Secretary-General Chosen?
The Security Council's role is decisive in choosing the new Secretary-General. A candidate must have the support of at least nine members, and none of the five permanent members should oppose. The permanent members are the US, UK, France, Russia and China.
After the Council's recommendation, the UN General Assembly, with 193 member countries, appoints the Secretary-General. Usually, the General Assembly approves the Council's recommendation.
Grynspan Writes on Social Media: World Is Going Through a Decisive Phase
After Friday's vote, Grynspan wrote on the social media platform X that the world is going through a decisive phase that needs a united and modern United Nations. She reiterated her commitment to listening to all sides, pushing forward necessary reforms and fulfilling the shared goal of peace and security.
The demand for choosing a woman as Secretary-General is also gaining strength this time. In the UN's history of more than 80 years, nine men have held this post so far, but no woman has been given the responsibility.
