UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh enters race for UN secretary-general

· Politics · United Arab Emirates

Senior UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh entered the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general on Oct 21, injecting a prominent Middle Eastern candidate into a contest that has struggled to produce a consensus choice among the Security Council's most powerful members. The selection is decided by the five permanent members, whose vetoes have slowed past processes. Nusseibeh's candidacy adds a Gulf voice to a field that has yet to yield a frontrunner acceptable to Washington, Moscow and Beijing alike.

Why it matters：A Gulf candidate could shift the UN's diplomatic balance at a time of war in the Middle East and stalemate over Ukraine.

Key points

  • The choice rests with the five permanent Security Council members.
  • No consensus frontrunner has yet emerged.
  • Nusseibeh is a senior UAE diplomat.

Sources (original reporting)

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