Three Names Appear As Candidates, UN Will Have First Secretary General Of Women?

JAKARTA - A number of names have emerged as candidates for the United Nations secretary-general who will replace Antonio Guterres, although the election process will only be held next year.

Guterres will place his post at the end of 2026. Meanwhile, his successor will start serving on January 1.

The competition will officially begin when the UN Security Council, which consists of 15 countries and the 193-member UN General Assembly, sends a joint letter requesting a nomination.

The letter is scheduled to be sent by the end of the year. A candidate must be nominated by a UN member state, quoted from Reuters, October 30.

This position is usually rotated between regions. The next turn on the list is Latin America, although there are also diplomats who expect candidates from other regions.

"Our region has the diversity, capacity, and experience to voice strong voices for the sake of peace, climate justice, human rights, and sustainable development," said Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader.

"I firmly believe that the time has come for a woman to occupy the position," he said.

A number of names have emerged as potential candidates so far to replace Guterres.

From Costa Rica, the country will nominate former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan who currently serves as Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), President Rodrigo Chavez said on October 8, 2025.

Next is Michelle Bachelet from Chile. President Gabriel Boric said the nomination of the former president and former UN Human Rights Chief on September 23, 2025.

Unlike the previous two candidates who are women, Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi from Argentina is also said to be a candidate for the Secretary General of the United Nations.

In a press statement this week at New York United Nations Headquarters Grossi confirmed his intention to participate in the contest, expressing his belief he could "provide a contribution at this important moment" to the organization.

"I think we all agree that the United Nations needs change," Grossi told Arab News.

"What makes me decide to run is exactly what I did at the IAEA: leading the organization through difficult times, dealing with crises, and continuing to provide results," he said.

The election process marked by a 15-member Security Council that will officially recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly to be elected as UN's 10th Secretary-General by the end of next year.

The Security Council will hold a secret poll which is referred to as a poll of until a consensus is reached regarding a candidate.

The choice given to board members for each candidate in this poll is: to support, reject, or not to argue.

In the end, the five permanent members of the council who have veto rights in the United States, Russia, Britain, China, and France must agree on a candidate.

The ballot for veto rights in this poll has traditionally a different color than the color of the ballot for the 10 selected members.

The Security Council later adopted a resolution, traditionally carried out in a closed manner, which recommended appointment to the General Assembly. The resolution requires nine votes that support and without veto to pass.

The United Nations itself has sought to increase transparency in the selection process. For example, the General Assembly in 2015 asked the president of the assembly and the Security Council to invite UN members to nominate candidates.

The General Assembly also called for candidates' names and CVs to be circulated periodically to member countries.

While in a resolution adopted in September 2025, the General Assembly stated that each candidate must provide a vision statement when they are officially nominated and given the opportunity to deliver it.

The vision statement must also be published on the UN's special web page.

The General Assembly stated that each candidate must disclose their source of funding and any candidate who has held a position at the United Nations "must consider suspending their work on the United Nations system during the campaign period, with the aim of avoiding conflicts of interest that may arise from their functions and advantages."

In its 80 years of history, the United Nations has never had a female secretary general. In the General Assembly last September session, the nomination of women as secretary generals surfaced.

"It's time for a woman to be elected Secretary-General of the United Nations," said Estonian President Alar Karis.

Meanwhile, Slovenian President Nata Badminton Pirc Musar, regrets that so far only five women have served as Presidents of the General Assembly, which now consists of 193 countries for a year, including this year, Annalena Baerbock from Germany.

"At the end of this session, he will be accompanied by an elected Secretary General," said President Musar.

"Let's create history," he added.

Mongolian President, Ukhnaagin Kh\"ulels\"ukh, said: "Ensuring gender equality in senior leadership positions in the United Nations will certainly have a positive impact in encouraging a more transparent, balanced, and inclusive decision-making process."

Chilean President Gabriel Boric said regional balance should be respected in the appointment process.

"It's time for Latin America and the Caribbean to enjoy the moment," he said, adding the area was free of war and rich in diplomatic traditions.