Who are the candidates running for UN secretary-general?

The United Nations will choose its 10th secretary-general this year for a five-year term beginning January 1, 2027. In the second informal poll held on Friday, Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett emerged narrowly ahead, according to sources familiar with the process.

Here are the candidates seeking to succeed outgoing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres:

Rafael Grossi
The 65-year-old Argentine diplomat has served as director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for six years. He has played a prominent role in efforts to address Iran’s nuclear programme and has led diplomatic missions during major international crises. His most notable achievement includes securing a continued IAEA presence at Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Grossi is viewed by some diplomats as a leading contender, although Russia has expressed reservations about his candidacy.

Rebeca Grynspan
The 70-year-old Costa Rican economist and former vice president heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development. A strong advocate of multilateralism, Grynspan has highlighted gender equality and UN reform as key priorities. If elected, she would become the first woman to serve as UN secretary-general. She has pledged to make the organisation more agile while defending its core principles of peace, development and human rights.

Michelle Bachelet
The 74-year-old former Chilean president served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and previously led UN Women. Although Brazil and Mexico supported her candidacy, Chile withdrew its backing in March following a political shift in the country. Bachelet has also faced criticism from US conservatives over her views on abortion and her record on China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims.

Macky Sall
The 64-year-old former Senegalese president, who served for 12 years until 2024, is campaigning on issues including debt relief for developing countries and reform of the UN Security Council. Nominated by Burundi, Sall has called for a stronger form of multilateralism and greater representation for developing nations. If elected, he would become the third African secretary-general after Boutros Boutros-Ghali and Kofi Annan.

Maria Fernanda Espinosa
The 61-year-old Ecuadorian diplomat and former foreign and defence minister was nominated by Antigua and Barbuda. She has also served as Ecuador’s ambassador to the UN and president of the General Assembly. Her campaign focuses on strengthening the UN’s ability to act, with priorities including biodiversity, climate change, Indigenous rights and institutional reform.

Carolyn Allison Farida Rodrigues Birkett
Guyana’s permanent representative to the UN since 2020, Rodrigues Birkett is a career diplomat and former politician. She was Guyana’s first woman foreign minister and the highest-ranking Indigenous person to hold the post. With senior experience at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, she has campaigned on conflict prevention, climate action and improving the effectiveness of the UN. If elected, she would become the first woman and the first Caribbean national to lead the organisation.

Olara Otunnu
The 75-year-old Ugandan diplomat and former UN under-secretary-general was nominated by Uganda. Otunnu has called for restoring the UN’s moral authority and continuing institutional reforms. He has also proposed creating a body to oversee the UN’s work on artificial intelligence and has made ending major conflicts and addressing climate change key priorities.

Ivonne Baki
The 75-year-old Ecuadorian diplomat, nominated by Tonga, draws heavily on her experience of living through Lebanon’s civil war. Her campaign emphasises conflict prevention and direct diplomatic engagement in areas of tension. Baki has said her candidacy has US support and has highlighted her friendships with US President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, although Washington has not publicly endorsed her bid.