Who could be the next UN secretary general replacing Antonio Guterres? Here are the top contenders

UN secretary general race is becoming more uncertain as leading candidates struggle to secure the support they need. Antonio Guterres is expected to step down after two five-year terms. His successor will take office on January 1, 2027 and become the United Nations’ 10th secretary general. The information is taken from the Council on Foreign Relations and the Financial Times.

Who could replace António Guterres as UN secretary-general

Three leading official candidates have not yet secured enough support from all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France can each veto a candidate.


Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice-president of Costa Rica who now heads UN Trade and Development, received nine “encourage” votes in the latest Security Council straw poll. However, she also received two “disapprovals” from countries with veto power.

Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also received two “disapprovals”. The results have left room for other contenders to consider entering the race.

Lana Nusseibeh, currently a minister of state at the UAE’s foreign ministry. She became a familiar figure among diplomats while representing Emirati policies on the international stage.

According to the Financial Times, her supporters have been contacting UN missions to gauge interest in her potential candidacy. Diplomats expect she could enter the race as early as this week.

However, her prospects may be complicated by criticism of the UAE’s regional role. Its alleged support for Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The group has been accused of widespread atrocities during Sudan’s civil war, while Abu Dhabi denies arming either side.

Relations with Saudi Arabia could also matter. Some regional analysts believe Riyadh may not oppose her candidacy as the two Gulf powers attempt to repair disagreements over Yemen. But Giorgio Cafiero, founder of Gulf State Analytics, warned that an Emirati secretary-general “could raise concerns in Riyadh”.

He added that the two countries “have a very competitive relationship, with divergent agendas across the broader region”.

Who are the other contenders for the UN’s top job

The current official field includes six candidates, four of whom are women. Alongside Grynspan and Grossi, the candidates are Ivonne A-Baki, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, Olara Otunnu and Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett.

A-Baki, a former Ecuadorian ambassador, has called for a peacemaker rather than another caretaker. Espinosa, a former president of the UN General Assembly, has focused on peace, development and restoring the organisation’s credibility.

Otunnu previously served as a UN under-secretary-general and Uganda’s foreign minister. Rodrigues Birkett, Guyana’s permanent representative to the UN, has highlighted human rights and global development.

Another name circulating is Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Turkey’s former foreign minister and current head of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Will the next secretary-general be a woman

There has been an informal understanding that Latin America should get the next turn at the top job. There is also growing interest in appointing the first woman secretary-general after nine men have held the position.

However, the United States has played down the importance of region and gender in public comments. US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said: “Of course if the best candidate’s a woman we would welcome that but we really just need the best candidate.”

Whoever is selected will inherit an organisation facing funding shortages, pressure for internal reform and rising geopolitical tensions. With the Security Council still divided, the possibility of new candidates entering the race remains open.