Lana Nusseibeh, an Emirati diplomat with Palestinian roots, has been recognized as one of the leading candidates in the race for the leadership of the United Nations. Nusseibeh, who officially announced her candidacy on Wednesday, emphasizes reforms and efforts to achieve global peace. She enjoys support from Gulf countries while facing challenges including criticism regarding the normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel and the alleged role of this country in the Sudan war.
Background and Credentials of Lana Nusseibeh
If Lana Nusseibeh is elected as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, she will be the first woman to hold this position and the second Arab in this role. Nusseibeh, 48, has recently stepped down from her position as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations and the European Union. She has served as the first female permanent representative of the UAE to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024.
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Challenges in the Path of Candidacy
Nusseibeh has promised in a promotional video that she will give "greater necessity to working for peace" and "will defend human rights." Criticism of her candidacy has increased due to the UAE's ties with Israel and also accusations of supporting militia forces in Sudan. Nusseibeh has defended the Abraham Accords of 2020, which led to the normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel, and for this reason, she has faced significant criticism from Palestinian advocacy activists.
Nusseibeh, who holds two master's degrees, including in Israeli studies and Jewish diaspora from the University of London, comes from a prominent Palestinian family of politicians. Her father, Zaki Nusseibeh, was an advisor and translator for the late President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed, and is also the cultural advisor to the current President of the UAE.
Considering the existing traditions in the selection of the UN Secretary-General, this position usually rotates among geographical regions, and currently, a candidate from Latin America is next in line. However, Mike Waltz, the US Ambassador to the UN, recently stated that the focus should be on selecting the "best candidate" regardless of region or gender.
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