The official nomination of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh by the United Arab Emirates and the withdrawalwithdrawal of former Senegalese President Macky Sall from the race. On Tuesday, October 27, an interactive dialogue with Nusseibeh will take place at the General Assembly, during which she will present her vision for the Organization.
The candidacy was announced to member states in a joint letter dated October 21 from the President of the General Assembly, Khalilur Rahman, and the President of the Security Council for October, Greece’s Permanent Representative, Aglaia Balta. The letter transmits the official proposal from the United Arab Emirates and the accompanying nomination documents, as part of the process for selecting and appointing the new Secretary-General.
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In the letter of nomination, the United Arab Emirates highlights Nuseibeh’s diplomatic experience, her commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter, and her knowledge of the Organization’s operations. Particular mention is made of her ability to build relationships and foster consensus.
Nuseibeh served as the Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the UN from 2013 to 2024 and presided over the Security Council in March 2022 and in June 2023. According to the biography accompanying her nomination, she participated in negotiations on Afghanistan, humanitarian aid to Gaza, and Security Council reform. She has also served as chair of the Executive Board of UN Women.
Nuseibeh states in her vision statement that, in order to run for the position of Secretary-General, she has taken a leave of absence, effective immediately, from her duties as Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. She attributes this decision to the independence required by the office, citing Article 100 of the Charter. As she notes, she wishes to hold the position as she would serve it, “speaking frankly to every government and without being accountable to any.” She adds that “there will be no exceptions for friends, nor any grudges against critics.”
A central element of her proposal is the restoration of trust in international cooperation through tangible results. “When the benefits of the agreement are no longer visible, the agreement is no longer pursued,” she states, adding that commitments must be honored and that the UN must actively participate in its own transformation.
In the area of peace and security, he prioritizes prevention and quiet diplomacy. In cases of conflict, he proposes systematically pursuing initial, incremental agreements—such as local ceasefires, prisoner exchanges, and corridors for food and medicine—as steps toward broader settlements. “The UN does not need to lead every process, but it should be ready to be present in every room where its presence is valuable,” he notes.
On development, he emphasizes national priorities, job creation, practical solutions to debt, and partnerships with development banks, charitable foundations, and the private sector. At the same time, he pledges to defend international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, noting that the UN’s credibility on human rights depends on their consistent application, without double standards.
Reforming the Organization’s operations is also a key priority. Nuseibeh proposes evaluating results in relation to costs, consolidating overlapping tasks within the Secretariat, and engaging in direct discussions with governments regarding outstanding contributions. “Member states will not invest in a UN that asks for trust. They will invest in one that demonstrates its performance,” she says.
Source: CNA
