Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has pledged to restore confidence in the United Nations and make the organization more responsive as he seeks to become the first African to head the body in almost three decades.
He was among six candidates who presented their visions for the UN during a subdued debate in New York on Thursday, a week before the formal selection process begins.
The candidates concurred that the next secretary‑general must rebuild the credibility of an institution confronting severe financial strain, widening geopolitical rifts, and growing criticism of its handling of global conflicts.
Sall announced that his first 100 days in office would be devoted to “restoring trust and putting the UN on a path to become more agile, more effective and more attuned to its members.”
He promised to create an organization that “listens, acts and brings people together,” positioning effectiveness and dialogue at the core of his platform.
Having served as Senegal’s president from 2012 to 2024, Sall is the sole African and the only non‑Latin American contender to succeed Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on 31 December.
His candidacy contests the longstanding informal rule of geographic rotation that many believe should grant the next Secretary‑General to a Latin American or Caribbean state.
Four of the six candidates are women, underscoring renewed calls for the UN to appoint its first female chief.
(L-R) Candidates for United Nations Secretary-General position, Chile’s former president Michelle Bachelet, Ecuadorean diplomat and former President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Argentine diplomat and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Costa Rican economist and Secretary-General of UNCTAD Rebeca Grynspan, Guyana’s former foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues and Senegal’s former president Macky Sall participate in a debate at the UN General Assembly Hall in New York, on 23 July 2026. AFP – LEONARDO MUNOZ 
Rodrigues‑Birkett likewise pledged to address the most challenging international crises directly.
“I would be the secretary‑general who engages with Iran, Haiti, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and beyond,” she declared.
Grossi argued that the Secretary‑General must intervene more decisively whenever a UN member initiates a war or conducts an act of aggression.
“We must restore the UN’s credibility as a legitimate interlocutor and then leverage the tools at our disposal.”
Without naming any specific country, Bachelet said she would resist pressure from major donor nations.
“I will speak openly about my moral authority and my duty.”
Espinosa placed conflict prevention at the heart of her campaign, insisting it must be an operational priority rather than a mere slogan.
“I will be present myself, carrying the UN flag,” she affirmed.
The debate occurs as the United Nations confronts what officials and diplomats describe as a deepening crisis of funding and legitimacy.
The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused the organization of excessive spending, over‑reach, and insufficient results, urging a return to its foundational responsibilities for international peace and security.
Other member states maintain that the UN’s other pillars—human rights and sustainable development—must remain equally paramount.
Most candidates advocated continued reforms aimed at improving efficiency while also calling for a more hands‑on Secretary‑General in peace negotiations.
They have already endured three hours of questioning from representatives of the UN’s 193 member states.
The next decisive phase will commence on 30 July, when the fifteen Security Council members are scheduled to hold their first closed‑door ballot on the contenders.
The anonymous “straw poll” will reveal which candidates enjoy the strongest support and whether any face opposition from the Council’s five permanent members—Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States.
Additional ballots are expected until a candidate secures at least nine votes without being vetoed by a permanent member.
The Security Council will then forward its chosen candidate to the General Assembly for formal approval, with the new Secretary‑General slated to assume office on 1 January 2027.
Latin American governments argue that their region deserves the next turn for the post, though the informal geographic rotation system has not been strictly observed.
Sall’s supporters are likely to emphasize Africa’s growing diplomatic influence and the continent’s central role in issues ranging from peacekeeping and development to climate change and institutional reform.
The last African Secretary‑General was Ghana’s Kofi Annan, who served from 1997 to 2006.
