Race for UN top job begins: Meet the candidates
Diplomats, former presidents & UN veterans Live Events as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Addas a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You
Diplomats, former presidents & UN veterans Live Events as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Addas a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The contest to lead the United Nations is gathering momentum, with seven candidates officially in the running to become the organisation's next secretary-general. The successful candidate will take office on January 1, 2027, succeeding António Guterres after the completion of his second five-year term.While the final decision will rest with the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, the race has already drawn experienced diplomats, former presidents and senior UN officials, each offering a distinct vision for the future of the global body.The 65-year-old director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is widely viewed as an early frontrunner. During his six years at the helm of the UN nuclear watchdog, Grossi has played a central role in negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme and worked to maintain dialogue between major global powers.
One of his most notable achievements was securing a permanent IAEA presence at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Diplomats believe his ability to work with the five permanent members of the Security Council could strengthen his chances.Currently leading the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the 70-year-old economist and former vice president of Costa Rica has positioned herself as a reform-oriented multilateralist. She has stepped back from her UN duties during the campaign to avoid conflicts of interest. If elected, Grynspan would become the first woman to serve as UN secretary-general.“I am not waiting for special treatment. I want equal treatment,” she told Reuters.She has pledged to build a more agile United Nations through collaboration while defending its core principles of peace, development and human rights.A former president of Chile and e UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bachelet brings decades of political and international experience. However, her campaign has faced setbacks after Chile withdrew its backing earlier this year following a change in government.
She has also drawn criticism from some US conservatives over her human rights record and positions on social issues.Senegal's former president is campaigning on reforms aimed at giving developing nations a stronger voice within the UN system. Sall has called for changes to the Security Council to allow greater representation for emerging economies.“More than ever, a reinvented multilateralism remains the best way to respond to the challenges of a world in full transformation,” he said on X.If elected, he would become only the third African to lead the United Nations.A former foreign and defence minister of Ecuador, Espinosa has extensive UN experience, having served as Ecuador's ambassador to the organisation and later as president of the UN General Assembly. Her campaign focuses on institutional reform, climate policy and improving the UN's effectiveness.“I offer a candidacy grounded in a simple conviction: the UN must recover the courage to prioritize, the discipline to deliver, and the political confidence to act with purpose,” she said in her vision statement.Currently Guyana's permanent representative to the United Nations, Rodrigues Birkett previously became the country's first woman and highest-ranking Indigenous foreign minister.
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