UAE nominee for UN chief faces objections from rights groups
The United Arab Emirates has nominated Lana Nusseibeh to succeed António Guterres as UN secretary-general, and members of the Sudanese diaspora and international human rights monitors have denounced her candidacy. The objections centre on the war in Sudan and the UAE's role in it.
The UN secretary-general runs the organisation's day-to-day work and is its most visible official. Guterres is finishing his second five-year term, which ends on 31 December 2026, and the next holder of the post is expected to begin on 1 January 2027. Selection is decided by the 15-member Security Council. A candidate needs at least nine votes in favour and must avoid a veto, a power that allows one of the five permanent members to block a decision alone.
Nusseibeh entered the race in October 2026. She served as the UAE's representative to the United Nations until 2024. On 27 October, rights monitors raised concerns about her bid, citing her role in championing UAE foreign policy.
The central accusation concerns Sudan. The UAE has been accused of fuelling the war there by supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, and Nusseibeh has repeatedly denied those accusations. The UN has said that an attack on the city of El Fasher in October 2025 had "hallmarks of genocide."
Nusseibeh said in a statement that she had taken a leave of absence from her ministerial post in the UAE government, citing the independence required of a UN role. She also said that, if appointed, she would support the work of UN fact-finding missions examining accountability and transitional justice over the Sudan war. Transitional justice refers to the legal and institutional steps taken after a conflict to address past abuses.
Several human rights groups have urged countries to reject her nomination. Sudan has also joined those opposing her candidacy.
Other names are on the UN's list of candidates. Ivonne A-Baki, from Ecuador, was nominated on 17 August 2026, and María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, also from Ecuador, is listed as a candidate. Michelle Bachelet, the former Chilean president, was nominated on 2 February 2026 by Brazil, Chile and Mexico, and withdrew her candidacy on 21 September 2026.
