The United Nations will elect its 10th Secretary-General this year for a five-year term beginning on January 1, 2027, with several prominent diplomats and former heads of state competing to succeed outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres.
Below are the candidates who have officially entered the race so far.
Rafael Grossi (Argentina)
Rafael Grossi, 65, is a career diplomat from Argentina and has served as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the past six years.
Grossi played a key role in efforts to preserve elements of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018. Critics argue that he made excessive concessions in negotiations with Tehran.
A father of eight who speaks several languages, Grossi has elevated both his international profile and that of the IAEA through active diplomacy during major global crises. One of his most notable achievements was deploying an IAEA monitoring team to Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Many diplomats view Grossi as the frontrunner, citing his strong working relationships with all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, whose backing is crucial for the appointment.
Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica)
Rebeca Grynspan, 70, presents herself as a champion of multilateral reform with decades of experience promoting peace, development, and human rights.
The former Vice President of Costa Rica currently serves as Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), although she has temporarily stepped aside from her duties during the campaign.
If elected, Grynspan would become the first woman to serve as UN Secretary-General.
An economist by training, she says her leadership would focus on flexibility, broader partnerships, and protecting the UN’s core values.
“I don’t expect special treatment. I want equal treatment,” she told Reuters.
Michelle Bachelet (Chile)
Michelle Bachelet, 74, served twice as President of Chile and previously held the position of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. She also led UN Women between 2010 and 2013.
Although initially backed by Brazil and Mexico, Chile withdrew its support earlier this year following a shift in the country’s political leadership.
Bachelet has faced criticism from some U.S. conservatives over her support for abortion rights. Republican Senator Pete Ricketts also argued that, during her tenure as Human Rights Commissioner, she failed to sufficiently characterize China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims as genocide.
China has not publicly stated its position regarding her candidacy.
Macky Sall (Senegal)
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall, 64, served as his country’s head of state for 12 years before leaving office in 2024.
Sall has pledged to advocate for developing nations struggling with heavy debt and supports expanding permanent representation for developing countries on the UN Security Council.
“More than ever, renewed multilateralism remains the best way to respond to the challenges of a world undergoing profound transformation,” he wrote on X.
His candidacy has been nominated by Burundi.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador)
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, 61, previously served as Ecuador’s Foreign Minister and Defense Minister under former President Rafael Correa.
Nominated by Antigua and Barbuda, Espinosa has also advised the United Nations and international organizations on biodiversity, climate change, and Indigenous peoples’ rights.
She believes her experience as Ecuador’s ambassador to the UN and former President of the UN General Assembly gives her a deep understanding of the organization’s operations.
“The UN must regain the courage to set priorities, the discipline to implement them, and the political confidence to act decisively,” she said in her campaign platform.
Carolyn Allison Farida Rodrigues Birkett (Guyana)
Carolyn Allison Farida Rodrigues Birkett is a career diplomat currently serving as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
She previously became the first woman and the first Indigenous person to serve as Guyana’s Foreign Minister and has also held senior positions within the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
If elected, she would become both the first woman and the first representative from the Caribbean to lead the United Nations.
Her platform focuses on strengthening conflict prevention, improving the UN’s effectiveness, and accelerating global action on climate change.
Olara Otunnu (Uganda)
Olara Otunnu, 75, is a veteran diplomat and former UN Under-Secretary-General nominated by Uganda.
The oldest candidate in the race, Otunnu has pledged to continue institutional reforms within the UN while making the resolution of major international conflicts his immediate priority.
He has also proposed creating a new UN body to oversee global governance of artificial intelligence and argues that efforts to combat climate change must continue without undermining economic development.
