New York. Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu has joined the race to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, becoming the seventh candidate seeking to succeed António Guterres when his second term ends later this year.
Otunnu, a former UN under-secretary-general and former special representative for children and armed conflict, was formally nominated by Uganda in a letter submitted on Friday to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.
At 75, he is the oldest candidate currently in the race to lead the world body.
The next UN chief will inherit an organisation facing mounting pressure to reform its bureaucracy, reduce duplication across its agencies and restore confidence in its ability to respond to global crises.
In his vision statement, Otunnu pledged to continue institutional reforms while making efforts to end major international conflicts an immediate priority. He also proposed the creation of a UN body to oversee work on artificial intelligence (AI) and called for stronger action on climate change without undermining economic development.
Otunnu joins six other candidates in the contest. They are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan, former vice-president of Costa Rica; María Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador's former foreign affairs and defence minister; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana's former foreign minister; and Macky Sall, former president of Senegal.
The selection process is expected to gather pace this week as the 15-member UN Security Council begins informal straw polls to narrow the field. Additional candidates may still enter the race before the process concludes.
Diplomats say there is no clear frontrunner. However, many believe it is Latin America's turn to produce the next UN secretary-general, while others argue the organisation should appoint its first woman to the post.
Under the UN selection process, the successful candidate must secure the support of the Security Council without being vetoed by any of its five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — before being appointed by the General Assembly.
