The contest to lead the United Nations from next year may be about to gain a candidate from the Gulf. Lana Nusseibeh, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, is reportedly considering a bid for the post of UN Secretary-General, according to the Financial Times.
What the Financial Times reports
According to the Financial Times, Nusseibeh is among the figures being considered to succeed António Guterres, and could formally enter the race within the coming days.
The timing is significant. Guterres’s ten-year tenure as Secretary-General comes to an end on 31 December 2026.
Nusseibeh’s diplomatic record
Nusseibeh served as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024 and is regarded as a well-known figure in the organisation’s diplomatic circles.
Her time at the UN has been associated with the UAE’s efforts to strengthen its international role in recent years.
The leading contenders
Former Vice-President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan, who currently heads the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is presented as the frontrunner to succeed Guterres.
Her supporters point to her reform-oriented record and her long experience in international organisations as her main strengths.
Rafael Grossi of Argentina, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is also considered a strong candidate.
The UAE’s international profile
According to analysts cited in the report, a possible Nusseibeh candidacy is seen as a further sign of the UAE’s growing diplomatic influence on the international stage.
She is described as an experienced and highly effective diplomat who has played an important role in establishing the UAE as a significant geopolitical player in recent years.
With information from the Financial Times and Arabian Business
