The process of selecting the tenth Secretary-General of the United Nations officially began yesterday, Tuesday, with the new appointee set to replace Antonio Guterres starting January 1, 2027.
In a joint message, the Security Council, composed of 15 countries, and the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, made up of 193 countries, called on all member states to submit the names of candidates for the position.
The message stated, "While we express our regret that a woman has never held the position of Secretary-General, and believing in the necessity of ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in accessing senior decision-making positions, we encourage member states to strongly consider nominating women, and we emphasize the importance of regional diversity in the selection of the Secretary-General."
According to Agence France-Presse, some names have begun to circulate informally, including former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, and Costa Rican Rebecca Greenspan, who currently heads the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The members of the Security Council will begin the selection process by the end of July 2026, and the five permanent members of the council - the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France - must agree on a candidate.
The Security Council will submit its official recommendation to the General Assembly to elect the Secretary-General for a term of 5 years starting January 1, 2027, which is renewable once.
We express our regret that a woman has never held the position of Secretary-General.
Share your opinion
Initiation of the selection process for the new Secretary-General of the United Nations