Lana Nusseibeh, the United Arab Emirates' candidate for the position of UN Secretary-General, received seven encouraging votes, six votes of no support, and two votes without opinion in her first unofficial poll in the Security Council. This poll was held on October 27, 2023, in search of a successor to the current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.
Results of the Security Council Poll
In this poll, Rebecca Greenspan from Costa Rica topped the list with 11 positive votes and four negative votes. Rafael Grossi from Argentina came in second with nine positive votes and four negative votes, while Caroline Rodríguez-Birkett from Guyana placed third with eight positive votes and six negative votes. Among them, other candidates including Olara Otunnu from Uganda and María Fernanda Espinosa and Iván A. Bakie from Ecuador received four and two positive votes and 11 and 10 negative votes, respectively.
Challenges Facing Nusseibeh
Nusseibeh, who was nominated for this position on October 21, 2023, is the only candidate from the Middle East and North Africa among numerous candidates from Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite the progress made, this candidacy still faces significant challenges. It is expected that the next Secretary-General will be from Latin America or the Caribbean, and there is also pressure to select a woman for this position.
More than 30 ambassadors from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) emphasized in a press conference on October 27 that the future Secretary-General should be from this region. Additionally, Nusseibeh faces criticism from human rights organizations and Sudanese activists due to her record in representing the UAE's foreign policy, particularly regarding alleged support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces.
Nusseibeh was questioned on this issue during the UN dialogue session on October 27 and did not respond directly. She stated, "I have taken leave from my position as the UAE Minister and refer any questions about the UAE to the UAE representative."
She also emphasized that stopping the conflict in Sudan will be the "real test" for the future UN Secretary-General and that this issue will be her "top priority" if she assumes this position.
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