UN Secretary General Race Opened Widely by Trump's Interventions
The United States Secretary General position, set to become vacant in 2027, is shrouded in anticipation as global power dynamics undergo a significant shift, with the return of Donald Trump to the White House playing a pivotal role. Washington is seen as having the opportunity to shape the future of the UN by deciding who will lead it from 2027. The Security Council, particularly its five permanent members, holds the real power in electing the UN Secretary General. A candidate from the United States, Alicia Barcena, Mexico's Secretary for the Environment, and Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley are frequently mentioned as potential candidates for the position. Rebeca Grynspan, the Costa Rican economist who heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, is also among the names circulating. Rafael Grossi, the Argentine diplomat who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency, has declared his candidacy. If elected, Grossi would be the second Latin American to hold the post, following in the footsteps of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who served as Secretary General from 1982 to 1991. Grossi's reputation rests on decades in nuclear diplomacy and non-proliferation. Eastern Europe, which has never produced a secretary general, is widely seen as deserving of its turn, but its polarised politics and strained relations with Russia may complicate matters. The UN is facing pressure to choose its first woman secretary general, and before Trump's victory, it was widely agreed that the next UN chief should be a woman from Latin America. However, no Latin American candidate declared for the position in 2021 is mentioned as having gained significant UN support according to the available search results. The successful candidate for the UN Secretary General position must draw broad support from UN member states before confronting the Security Council, where any of the five permanent members can block the choice with a veto. The UN has developed informal conventions that shape the race, including a stipulation for regional rotation and gender equality. The UN General Assembly high level week starting September 22 will see contenders for the UN Secretary General position building networks of support among member states. The Security Council is expected to release an initial list of candidate names in late October. The successful candidate for the UN Secretary General position must be fluent in English and French, the UN's working languages. The US administration is reportedly holding back on demanding big reforms to the UN until their own pick for Secretary General is in place. Burmese historian Thant Myint-U has warned that the stakes for the UN Secretary General position are existential. The UN is under pressure to address a wide range of global challenges, from climate change to nuclear proliferation, and the choice of the next Secretary General could significantly impact the organisation's ability to address these issues. Grossi, who has been lobbying extensively for the role, has a campaign manager in New York City. As the race for the UN Secretary General position heats up, it remains to be seen who will emerge as the frontrunner and lead the UN into a new era of global governance.
