Six Candidates Enter Race to Succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General

The race to become the next United Nations Secretary-General has expanded with the candidacy of former Senegalese President Macky Sall, joining five other contenders, including four women, in a contest that could result in the election of the first female Secretary-General in the organization’s history.

Current Secretary-General António Guterres is due to complete his second term on 31 December 2026, with his successor scheduled to take office on 1 January 2027.

Macky Sall (Senegal)

Senegal’s former president, who served from 2012 to 2024, is campaigning on his experience in national leadership. His priorities include reforming the UN Security Council and strengthening the representation of developing countries.

Burundi formally submitted his candidacy during its rotating presidency of the African Union, while Senegal later announced its full backing and instructed its diplomatic missions to campaign for his election.

Rafael Mariano Grossi (Argentina)

The Argentine diplomat has served as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 2019. He has overseen negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and supervised IAEA missions to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Diplomats regard him as one of the leading contenders.

Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica)

Currently Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Grynspan previously served as Vice President of Costa Rica. She advocates reforming the multilateral system and strengthening international cooperation.

Michelle Bachelet (Chile)

The former Chilean president also served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and headed UN Women. Although Chile withdrew its official support in March, her campaign continues with backing from Brazil and Mexico.

María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador)

Espinosa has served as Ecuador’s foreign minister and defence minister and was President of the UN General Assembly. Nominated by Antigua and Barbuda, she says her experience within the UN positions her to strengthen conflict prevention and multilateral diplomacy.

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett (Guyana)

Guyana’s former foreign minister currently serves as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Her campaign is built on extensive diplomatic experience within the UN system.

With four women among the six candidates, the race could lead to the appointment of the first woman to serve as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

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