Who are the eight candidates running to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN chief?

Eight Contenders Compete for the Next UN Secretary‑General, Ending Antonio Guterres’ Tenure

The United Nations’ most powerful body, the Security Council, meets Friday to hold another straw poll to gauge the popularity of a growing field of contenders to lead the embattled organisation.

Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the front‑ranker after last month’s informal vote, in which the council’s 15 members—including the five with veto power—secretly judge the candidates.

Argentina’s Rafael Mariano Grossi, who heads the UN nuclear programme, is among the six other aspirants alongside Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Ecuador’s María Fernanda Espinosa, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues‑Birkett, Uganda’s Olara Ottunu and Senegal’s Macky Sall.

Rebeca Grynspan

Former vice‑president of Costa Rica now runs for the UN chief post after leading UNCTAD. She once brokered the historic Black Sea Grain Initiative that eased food shortages amid the war in Ukraine.

At 70 years old, Grynspan highlighted her family backdrop as the daughter of Jewish parents who narrowly escaped the Holocaust before relocating to Costa Rica.

She has labelled the United Nations a “risk‑conservative organisation” and has advocated for a more proactive moral voice in global crises.

Michelle Bachelet

Chile’s former head of state made history in 2006 as the nation’s first female president. Later she served as the UN rights chief, a role later criticised for straining relations with China while exposing domestic abuses in Xinjiang.

Bachelet now calls for a “moral voice” to guide the secretary‑general while navigating pressures from major powers. Although supported by Mexico and Brazil, her bid faces backlash from the United States over her stance on reproductive health.

María Fernanda Espinosa

As a former Ecuadorian foreign minister, Espinosa underscores the UN’s pivotal role in addressing global challenges and has proposed an “early warning” system to spot looming conflicts.

Although backed by Antigua and Barbuda, she lacks official endorsement from her home country.

Carolyn Rodrigues‑Birkett

Carolyn Rodrigues‑Birkett, a Guyanese diplomat and the island’s ambassador to the United Nations, argues that the organization must rebuild its credibility worldwide. She says the UN excels beyond security, impacting development and human rights.

Ivonne A‑Baki

Ivonne A‑Baki is a 75‑year‑old Ecuadorian lawyer and politician who previously fostered close ties between Ecuador and the United States. Nominated by Tonga, she brings strong regional connections, having served as Ecuador’s ambassador to Qatar.

Born to Lebanese parents, she helped mediate the 1995 Ecuador‑Peru border dispute and has publicly vowed to advance the UN Charter’s promise to safeguard future generations from war.

Olara Ottunnu

Olara Ottunnu served as Under‑Secretary‑General and Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict under Kofi Annan. He later represented Uganda internationally and held the Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefly. Ottunnu ran as the presidential candidate for Uganda’s opposition party in 2011 and lost to incumbent Yoweri Museveni.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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