Abu Dhabi:The United Arab Emirates has officially put forward Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State, as a candidate for the role of Secretary-General of the United Nations.
According to Wam, the nomination was submitted by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, via a letter to the presidents of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council. This follows the established procedures for selecting and appointing the next Secretary-General.
The nomination letter emphasized Nusseibeh's extensive experience with the United Nations, her ability to tackle ongoing international challenges, and her record of impactful work. Nusseibeh has held the position of the UAE's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024. She has been a Vice-President of the General Assembly, President of the Executive Board of UN Women, and has co-chaired processes for General Assembly revitalization and Security Council reform. Additionally, she has twice served as President of the Security Council during the UAE's 2022-2023 term, focusing on areas such as peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate-related security risks, women's affairs, and multilateral reform.
The Security Council is currently evaluating candidates through a series of informal straw polls, the latest of which was conducted on 16 October. As per the United Nations Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly based on the Security Council's recommendation. The selection process is set to proceed in the coming weeks as Council members deliberate on the candidates vying to lead the organization from January 2027.