UAE nominates Nusseibeh as contender in stalled UN chief race

The United Arab Emirates has nominated Lana Nusseibeh, a foreign ministry minister of state and former UAE ambassador to the United Nations, to become the next secretary-general. Her entry adds a prominent contender to a succession race stalled by divisions among the five permanent members of the Security Council, each of which can veto a candidate. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan has led recent informal voting, but she and other contenders have also faced opposition from permanent members; Senegal’s Macky Sall withdrew after the latest poll. The successor to António Guterres, whose term ends on December 31, 2026, must win at least nine Security Council votes without receiving a veto before the General Assembly confirms the appointment.