2026 United Nations Secretary-General selection

A United Nations Secretary-General selection is currently being held to choose the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. The incumbent Secretary-General is António Guterres of Portugal, whose term ends on 31 December 2026.

Source: Wikipedia

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2026 United Nations Secretary-General selection

Campaign

2026 United Nations Secretary-General selection

On 16 January 2026, Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly, publicly called on more candidates to enter the race.

Candidates

Registered candidates

The selection process formally began on 25 November 2025. To date, five candidates have been nominated, of whom one subsequently withdrew.

<table><thead><tr><th>Photo</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Nominator</th><th>Nominated</th><th>Regional Group</th><th>Prior experience</th><th>Citations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Michelle Bachelet</td><td>Brazil Mexico Chile</td><td>2 February 2026</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>President of Chile (2006–2010, 2014–2018) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018–2022) Executive director of UN Women (2010–2013)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Rafael Grossi</td><td>Argentina Italy Paraguay</td><td>22 December 2025</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Argentine Ambassador to Austria (2013–2019) Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (2019–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Rebeca Grynspan</td><td>Costa Rica</td><td>3 March 2026</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Second Vice President of Costa Rica (1994–1998) Secretary-General of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (2014–2021) Secretary-General of UNCTAD (2021–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Macky Sall</td><td>Burundi</td><td>2 March 2026</td><td>African Group</td><td>President of Senegal (2012–2024) Chairperson of the African Union (2022–2023) Prime Minister of Senegal (2004–2007) Special Envoy for the Paris Pact for People and the Planet (4P) (2024)</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Withdrawn

<table><thead><tr><th>Photo</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Nominator</th><th>Nominated</th><th>Withdrew</th><th>Regional Group</th><th>Prior experience</th><th>Citations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Virginia Gamba</td><td>Maldives</td><td>11 March 2026</td><td>25 March 2026</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Prevention of Genocide and Hate Speech (acting) (2024—2025) Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (2017—2025) Director of the Office of Disarmament Affairs (2012—2015)</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Expressed interest but no formal candidacy filed

<table><thead><tr><th>Photo</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Country</th><th>Announced</th><th>Regional Group</th><th>Prior experience</th><th>Citations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Ivonne Baki</td><td>Ecuador Lebanon</td><td>11 January 2026</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Ecuadorian Ambassador to France (2024) Ecuadorian Ambassador to the United States (2020–2024)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Colombe Cahen-Salvador</td><td>France</td><td>31 March 2024</td><td>Western European and Others Group</td><td>Co-Founder of Atlas Movement</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>David Choquehuanca</td><td>Bolivia</td><td>25 April 2025</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Foreign Minister of Bolivia (2016–2017) Secretary General of ALBA (2017–2019) Vice President of Bolivia (2020–2025)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Bruno Donat</td><td>Mauritius</td><td>22 June 2025</td><td>African Group</td><td>Head of the Geneva Office of the United Nations Mine Action Service (2019–2025)</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Speculated

<table><thead><tr><th>Photo</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Country</th><th>Regional Group</th><th>Prior experience</th><th>Citations</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Jacinda Ardern</td><td>New Zealand</td><td>Western European and Others Group</td><td>Prime Minister of New Zealand (2017–2023)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Alicia Bárcena</td><td>Mexico</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (2008–2022) Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs (2023–2024) Mexican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (2024–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>María Fernanda Espinosa</td><td>Ecuador</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007; 2017–2018) Ecuadorian Minister of National Defense (2012–2014) President of the United Nations General Assembly (2018–2019)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Kristalina Georgieva</td><td>Bulgaria</td><td>Eastern European Group</td><td>Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (2019–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Vuk Jeremić</td><td>Serbia</td><td>Eastern European Group</td><td>Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2012) President of the United Nations General Assembly (2012–2013)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Amina J. Mohammed</td><td>Nigeria United Kingdom</td><td>African Group Western European and Others Group</td><td>Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (2017–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Mia Mottley</td><td>Barbados</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group</td><td>Prime Minister of Barbados (2018–present)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Kevin Rudd</td><td>Australia</td><td>Western European and Others Group</td><td>Prime Minister of Australia (2007–2010, June-September 2013) Foreign Minister (2010–2012) Australian Ambassador to the United States (2023–2026)</td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Achim Steiner</td><td>Brazil Germany</td><td>Latin American and Caribbean Group Western European and Others Group</td><td>Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (2017–present)</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Declined

• Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia (2010–2018) (endorsed a female candidate)