The six candidates for United Nations Secretary General are set to debate Thursday in the symbolic General Assembly Hall, one week before the formal start of a selection process crucial to an organisation in deep crisis.
Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador’s Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and Macky Sall of Senegal are all in the running to succeed outgoing Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The candidates will face 90 minutes of questions from diplomats, UN employees and civil society representatives, in what General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described as a rare opportunity to engage with their ideas and leadership vision.
On July 30, the 15 members of the Security Council are due to hold their first closed door, anonymous vote on their preferences among the candidates, a process expected to continue until one candidate secures the required nine votes without a veto from any permanent member.
The selected candidate’s name will then be sent to the General Assembly for formal appointment, with the winner set to take office on January 1, 2027.
Diplomats interviewed ahead of the debate said the race lacks a clear favourite, with several capitals yet to make their choice among the six contenders.
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